THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

Rare  Book  Room 
GIFT  OF 

John  W«   Beckman 


s 


P  A  G  JZ       1: 


CONSECIUTED  TALENTS; 


OB, 


0f 


BY    THE   AUTHOR   OF 

"WREATHS  AND  BRANCHES,"  "CHRISTIAN 
ORNAMENTS,"  ETC. 


"  We  are  not  our  own." 

'•  Unto  whomsoever  much  is  given,  of  him  shall  be  much  required.' 


Weto  Yorfc: 

GENERAL  PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL  SUNDAY  SCHOOL  UNION, 

No.  20  John  Street. 

1852. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  ia  the  year  1852, 

By  JOHN  W.  MITCHELL, 

(As  Treasurer  of  the  General  Protestant  Episcopal  Sunday  School  Union,) 

In  the  Office  of  the  Clerk  of  the  United  States  District  Court  for  the  Southern 

District  of  New  York. 


Stereotyped  by  BILLIN  &  BROTHBBS, 
10  North  William-st. 

Printed  by  PUDNEY  &  RUSSELL. 


PREFACE 


THE  following  work  is  intended  as  a  conclusion 
to  a  series  of  volumes  written  for  the  youth  of  the 
Church. 

The  first,  "Wreaths  and  Branches,"  was  written 
to  exhibit  the  beauty  and  fitness  of  the  forms  and 
services  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church.  The 
second,  "  The  Book  of  the  Church,"  was  an  abridg 
ment  of  a  volume  by  Southey,  giving  an  account 
of  its  history ;  and  the  third,  "  Christian  Orna 
ments,"  sought  to  portray  and  illustrate  its  spirit. 

The  present  work  aims  to  point  out  the  mission 
of  those  children  of  the  Church  whose  privileges 
are  thus  exalted.  The  narrative  does  not  connect 


4  PREFACE. 

it  with  the  preceding  volumes,  but   the  principles 
which  it  inculcates  are  the  same. 

Should  it  succeed  in  arresting  the  attention  of 
any  who  are  just  preparing  to  put  on  the  whole 
armor  of  God,  it  will  fully  accomplish  the  end 

for  which  it  was  designed. 

C.  L.  T. 

PRINCETON,  N.  J.,  April,  1852. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  ACCOUNT-BOOK   .........  7 

CHAPTER  IT. 

THE  FAMILY   AT  BEULAH  ...  .....         16 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE  PIC-NIC  AT  CAMPBELL'S   GROVE  .....        34 

CHAPTER  IV. 
LIFE'S  MISSION         .........      55 

CHAPTER  V. 

THE   ORPHAN     .  ."        .  •  ......         66 

CHAPTER  VI. 
MR.  MALCOLM'S  COUNTING-ROOM       .        .       •        •       •        .79 

CHAPTER  VII. 

FAMILY  EDUCATION  .  .......      100 

CHAPTER  VIII. 


SICKNESS   IS   SOMETIMES   A  TALENT 
I* 


CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  IX.  PAGK 

MARY'S  HAPPY  SUNDAY  .       .       .       .       .       .       .  128 

CHAPTER  X. 


BERKLEY  PARSONAGE       .  .  .  .     - 

CHAPTER  XI. 


THE   INVALUABLE  NURSE  ....  -\RA. 

CHAPTER  XII. 

RESULTS.  .  .'        .        '.     /.  9-        f  ^  17g 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE     ACCOUNT-BOOK. 

IT  was  Eeginald  Campbell's  birth-day.  Why 
did  he  remain  so  long  that  morning  in  his  un 
cle's  library  when  an  eager  group  were  await 
ing  his  appearance  in  the  breakfast-room  ? 

His  cousin,  Horace  Hastings,  was  becoming 
decidedly  impatient.  The  flush  on  his  young 
face  grew  deeper,  and  he  paced  the  room  with 
rapid  steps,  repeating  again  and  again,  in  a 
low  voice,  some  stanzas  which  were  evidently 
his  own  composition. 

"Why  don't  he  come?"  asked  pretty  Mary, 
as  she  looked  fondly  at  a  crimson  purse,  the 
work  of  those  delicate  taper  fingers.  "  I  wish 
I  knew  how  much  money  father  was  going 


8  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

to  give  him  to  put  in  this  purse;  I  hope  it 
will  be  in  bills,  for  gold  will  wear  it  out  so 
much  sooner." 

"If  Judge  Hastings  has  been  all  this  time 
in  giving  him  his  allowance,  he  will  want  that 
beloved,  new  carpet-bag  to  carry  it  in,"  said 
Celia  Eogers,  laughingly,  as  she  lay  back  in 
the  rocking-chair,  quite  at  ease,  and  not  seem 
ing  to  share  the  general  excitement.  "I  am 
very  sorry  for  my  part,"  she  added,  "that 
Eeginald  is  going  to  have  any  of  that  vile 
trash  which  makes  every  body  so  selfish  and 
stupid.  He  is  a  nice  boy  now,  but  you'll  see 
that  his  money  will  soon  spoil  him." 

"Celia  always  thinks  rich  people  are  dis 
agreeable.  Is  it  so,  Horace?"  asked  Mary, 
as  her  brother,  in  his  restless  promenading, 
approached  the  low  ottoman  on  which  she 
was  seated. 

Horace  did  not  seem  to  hear  the  question, 
but  went  on  murmuring  to  himself, 

"  Oh,  happy  boy,  the  starving  poor 
Shall  bless  thy  generous  hand, 
Which  lavishly  its  gifts  shall  shower 
To  cheer  each  household  band." 


THE  ACCOUNT-BOOK.  9 

"  There !  there !"  exclaimed  Mary,  jumping 
up  from  her  seat,  "I  hear  some  one  coming 
through  the  passage.  Pshaw !"  she  added  in 
a  tone  of  disappointment,  "it's  only  mamma." 

"  Only  mamma !"  repeated  the  sweet-looking 
lady  who  entered  the  breakfast-room.  "Pray 
who  is  expected  that  makes  me  such  a  second 
ary  consideration?" 

"Excuse  me,  mother,"  said  Mary,  kissing 
her  mother  affectionately.  It  was  never  hard 
to  forgive  Mary,  for  her  manners  were  natu 
rally  most  winning ;  and  when  she  tossed  back 
the  dark  curls  from  her  fair  face,  it  was  much 
easier  to  kiss  those  red  lips  than  to  resist  their 
pleading.  Beauty  has  its  advantages,  and  of 
this  Mary  was  already  aware. 

"Has  my  son  no  good-morning  for  me?" 
asked  Mrs.  Hastings,  turning  to  Horace,  who 
was  so  absorbed  in  one  subject  that  he  scarcely 
knew  that  any  one  had  entered  the  room. 

"Did  you  speak  to  me,  ma'am?"  he  asked 
in  an  absent  manner,  then  added  in  a  livelier 
tone,  "Mother,  see  if  this  stanza  sounds  better 
now : 


10  CONSECRATED   TALENTS. 

Thou  art  no  orphan !  One  above 

Has  claimed  thee  for  his  own ; 
And  thou  hast  owned  his  right  to  be 

Thy  father,  till  thy  course  is  run. 

No,  no!  that's  the  first  version.     I  have  writ 
ten  it  now: 

Thy  sense  of  his  almighty  love, 
By  filial  acts  is  shown." 

Mrs.  Hastings  smiled  at  the  ardor  of  the 
young  poet,  who  seemed  to  think  the  differ 
ence  between  these  two  stanzas  of  immense 
importance.  She  saw  that  they  were  both 
quite  tame,  but  only  said  kindly,  "The  last 
will  do,  Horace,  for  Eeginald  will  never  criti 
cise  the  verses,  for  he  knows  the  sincerity  of 
the  love  that  dictated  them.  Affection  gives 
beauty  to  the  most  commonplace  rhymes.  But 
where  is  the  hero  of  the  day  ?  Have  you  not 
seen  your  cousin  yet,  Mary?" 

And  where  was  Eeginald?  He  had  risen 
an  hour  earlier  than  usual,  but,  on  entering 
the  library,  found  it  already  occupied.  By 
the  will  of  the  late  Dr.  Campbell,  his  son 
was,  on  his  sixteenth  birth-day,  to  become  the 


THE  ACCOUNT-BOOK.  11 

uncontrolled  master  of  an  income  of  six  thou 
sand  dollars,  which,  to  him,  seemed  an  inex 
haustible  sum.  It  was  not  strange  that  he 
felt  an  added  sense  of  importance,  and  his 
manner  was  slightly  consequential  as  he  en 
tered  the  library  to  receive  his  first  quarterly 
allowance.  This  momentary  rising  of  pride 
was  instantaneously  checked  by  the  serious, 
almost  solemn,  aspect  of  Judge  Hastings,  who 
oifered  his  congratulations  affectionately,  but 
gravely ;  and  then  taking  up  a  large  morocco- 
covered  book  from  the  round  table,  in  the  cen 
tre  of  the  library,  said,  in  an  earnest  tone, 
"  Here,  Keginald,  is  my  birth-day  gift  for  you. 
It  is  an  account-book,  which  I  have  been  oc 
cupied  during  the  last  hour  in  preparing  for 
your  use." 

"  Thank  you,  uncle,"  said  Eeginald,  respect 
fully,  "I  had  already  prepared  an  account- 
book,  but  I  shall  value  this  as  your  gift." 

"I  do  not  think  you  have  one  of  this 
kind,"  said  the  Judge,  in  the  same  serious 
tone.  "God  grant  that  the  accounts  you  regis 
ter  here  may  be  such  as  shall  win  for  you  the 


12  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

final  commendation,  'Well  done,  good  and 
faithful  servant.' " 

Eeginald  felt  involuntarily  impressed  by  his 
uncle's  manner,  and  turned  in  silence  to  the 
first  page  of  the  volume,  where  he  found  writ 
ten  in  a  large  hand,  "  Account  of  my  steward 
ship  for  the  talent,  riches,  committed  to  my  care 
May  1st,  18 — .  'Unto  whomsoever  much  is 
given,  of  him  shall  be  much  required.' "  At  the 
head  of  the  next  page  were  the  words,  "  Proofs 
of  Accountability  to  God  for  all  His  gifts ;"  and 
under  them  were  ranged  such  arguments  from 
Scripture  as  placed  it  beyond  a  doubt  that  all 
earthly  possessions  are  only  a  sacred  trust. 
On  a  succeeding  page  there  was  a  similar  col 
lection  of  texts  to  show  the  "Justifiable  Use  of 
Eiches;"  and  on  the  next,  a  formidable  array 
of  its  "Dangers  and  Temptations." 

Eeginald  was  beginning  to  feel  that  his 
newly  acquired  independence  was  a  very  doubt 
ful  acquisition  when  he  turned  to  a  page  head 
ed,  "  Money  expended ;"  and  this  was  so  much 
more  like  an  ordinary  account-book  that  it 
revived  pleasant  anticipations  of  the  luxuries 


THE  ACCOUXT-BOOK.  13 

and  enjoyments  with  which  he  might  hence 
forth  surround  himself.  This  momentary  glow 
of  satisfaction  was  changed  to  thoughtfulness 
by  a  glance  at  the  opposite  page,  where  he 
was  confronted  by  the  words,  "  Keasons  to  jus 
tify  these  expenditures  in  His  sight,  whose 
steward  I  am." 

The  countenance  of  the  youth  was  an  inter 
esting  study  as  he  stood  silently  reflecting  upon 
the  new  views  he  had  acquired  of  his  worldly 
fortune.  The  Judge  watched  the  workings  of 
his  expressive  face  with  tender  interest,  and 
then  extended  to  him  a  porte-monnaie  con 
taining  three  notes,  each  for  five  hundred  dol 
lars.  Eeginald  took  it  in  his  hand,  looked 
surprised  at  the  amount  of  the  notes,  and 
blushed  deeply.  An  evident  struggle  passed 
in  his  mind,  which  ended  by  his  saying,  with 
tearful  eyes,  as  he  handed  the  porte-monnaie 
back  to  Judge  Hastings, 

"Uncle,  I  think  I  had  rather  entrust  this 
sum  to  you  than  to  undertake  the  management 
of  it  myself.  I  do  not  yet  know  what  is  the 
right  use  of  money." 


14  CONSECRATED   TALENTS. 

Judge  Hastings  did  not  receive  the  proffered 
trust,  but  looked  much,  gratified  at  the  altered 
manner  of  his  young  ward. 

"Keep  it,  Eeginald,"  he  said,  "for  'tis  not 
right  to  shrink  from  any  responsibility  which 
it  has  pleased  our  heavenly  Father  to  bestow. 
Yesterday,  at  the  Communion,  you  joined  in 
the  solemn  dedication  of  yourself  and  all  that 
you  possessed  to  His  service,  and  to-day  He 
entrusts  you  with  the  means  of  extensive  use 
fulness.  It  is  well  for  you  early  to  examine 
into  the  most  profitable  disposition  that  can  be 
made  of  all  your  consecrated  talents.  Do  not, 
because  I  have  placed  before  you  the  certainty 
of  being  called  to  an  account,  imitate  him  who 
hid  his  gift  lest'  usurious  interest  should  be 
demanded.  That  Spirit  which,  in  one  of  our 
collects,  we  invoke  to  'give  us  a  right  judg 
ment  in  all  things,'  will  assist  you  to  employ 
this  gift  in  the  manner  most  acceptable  to  the 
Giver;  and  if  thus  employed,  it  will  bring 
you  in  so  rich  a  harvest  that  you  will  confess, 
though  great  talents  involve  great  responsibil 
ity,  they  also  present  enlarged  means  of  happi- 


THE   ACCOUNT-BOOK.  15 

ness.  Now  go  to  your  cousins  who  are  waiting 
to  congratulate  you,  and,  by  this  time,  must  be 
almost  in  despair." 

Still  Reginald  hesitated,  and  then  said,  in  a 
low  tone,  "Uncle,  will  you  pray  that  I  may 
have  the  guidance  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  fulfil 
ling  my  new  duties?  I  fear  myself." 

"Certainly,  my  boy,"  replied  the  Judge; 
"and  you  shall  join  me  now  in  asking  that 
corruptible  gold  may  not  deprive  you  of  an 
incorruptible  crown." 

There  was  something  surpassingly  lovely  in 
the  face  of  the  youth,  when  the  fervent  petition 
of  his  uncle  had  ended.  He  felt  that  he  had  a 
mission  to  discharge  to  a  perishing  world,  but 
he  did  not  shrink  from  its  responsibility,  being 
convinced  "  that  he  who  in  the  strength  of  Je 
sus  trusts,  is  more  than  conqueror." 


16  CONSECKATED  TALENTS. 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE     FAMILY    AT     BEULAH. 

MANY  persons  are  thankful  for  their  birth  in 
a  Christian  land,  but  there  are  few  who  realize 
that  all  the  circumstances  of  their  earthly  lot 
are  themes  for  praise.  Yet  there  is  not  a  sin 
gle  feature  in  our  condition,  which,  if  rightly 
improved,  may  not  become  a  means  of  useful 
ness  to  ourselves  and  others. 

"  The  trivial  round,  the  common  task, 
Will  give  us  all  we  ought  to  ask, 
Room  to  deny  ourselves ;  a  road 
To  bring  us,  daily,  nearer  God." 

The  situation  of  our  dwelling-place,  the  char 
acter  of  our  companions,  the  luxuries  or  dis 
comforts  with  which  we  are  surrounded,  and 
our  personal  appearance  and  manners,  may 
have  a  momentous  effect  upon  our  destiny. 

Judge  Hastings  had,  for  many  years,  been 
a  leading  member  of  the  bar,  where  he  had 


THE   FAMILY   AT  BEULAH.  17 

proved  the  truth,  that  a  successful  lawyer  and  a 
devoted  Christian  are  not  necessarily  a  contra 
diction.  When  raised  to  the  bench,  he  became 
anxious  to  leave  the  city,  and  endeavored  to 
procure  such  a  home  as  might  most  conduce  to 
the  welfare  of  his  family.  There  were  many 
who  wondered  at  his  preferring  to  give  a 
higher  price  for  a  country-seat  near  the  inland 
town  of  Berkley  than  for  a  beautiful  place  upon 
the  Hudson,  which,  by  the  bankruptcy  of  its 
owner,  could  have  been  obtained  for  half  that 
sum. 

"  My  dear  Judge  Hastings,"  said  the  plausi 
ble  salesman  of  the  latter,  "  are  you  aware  of 
all  the  advantages  of  the  situation  I  now  offer  ? 
I  have  always  heard  that  you  were  most  anx 
ious  for  the  good  of  your  children,  and  I  assure 
you  that,  by  locating  them  in  this  spot,  you 
would  at  once  insure  to  them  the  best  of  soci 
ety.  Their  near  neighbors  will,  of  course,  in 
time,  be  their  intimate  friends,  and  what  more 
desirable  connections  could  they  form?  The 
De  Lancys  are  within  a  stone's  throw,  the 
Beadmans  on  the  right,  and  the  Yan  Bemans 


18  CONSECKATED   TALENTS. 

on  the  left — three  of  the  oldest  families  in  the 
state." 

"  But  there  is  no  church  within  ten  miles," 
answered  Judge  Hastings  calmly,  "and  I  con 
sider  it  indispensable  that  my  children  should 
have  every  means  of  grace  that  it  is  in  my 
power  to  bestow.  If  necessity  deprived  them 
of  the  privilege  of  regular  attendance  on  the 
services  of  the  Church,  I  might  hope  that  the 
deficiency  would  be  compensated;  but  I  have 
no  right  to  place  them  where  they  would  be 
liable  to  this  deprivation,  for  any  mere  worldly 
advantage.  Nay,  as  a  Christian  man,  I  do  not 
see  what  I  have  to  do  with  any  project  for 
their  worldly  advancement,  when,  at  their  very 
birth,  I  renounced,  in  their  name,  all  claims  to 
favors  the  world  can  bestow.  In  choosing  a 
home  for  my  children,  the  main  question  is, 
( "Where  can  they  be  reared  in  such  a  manner 
as  best  to  prepare  them  for  serving  God,  in 
time  and  eternity  ?'  The  families  you  mention 
do  not  even  profess  to  be  educating  their  chil 
dren  for  heaven ;  would  not  their  vicinity  then 
be,  on  the  contrary,  rather  a  disadvantage? 


THE   FAMILY   AT   BEULAH.  19 

You  are  right  in  thinking  the  early  friendships 
of  children  of  importance.  I  hope  that  those 
of  mine  may  be  such  as  can  be  continued 
through  eternity." 

It  is  doubtful  whether  the  gentleman  to 
whom  these  remarks  were  made  understood 
their  full  import ;  but,  at  any  rate,  he  ceased  to 
urge  the  purchase  of  the  Kover  estate. 

Beulah,  the  residence  to  which  Judge  Hast 
ings  had  given  the  preference,  was  a  pleasant 
country  seat,  situated  on  a  fine  hill,  two  miles 
from  the  town  of  Berkley.  The  house  itself 
was  a  simple  frame  dwelling,  but  large,  and  of 
the  purest  white,  and  surrounded  -by  a  light 
green  verandah,  covered  with  luxuriant  vines. 
A  beautiful  stream  wound  around  the  base  of 
the  hill,  over  which  a  tasteful  bridge  was 
thrown,  at  the  foot  of  a  fine  avenue  of  elms 
leading  to  the  house.  Under  these  venerable 
trees  there  were  rustic  seats,  which  were  the 
favorite  haunts  of  the  children,  and  especially 
of  Horace,  who  would  sit  there  for  hours  gazing 
in  silence  on  the  beautiful  prospect.  There, 
too,  of  late,  Eeginald  Campbell  might  often  be 


20  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

seen  absorbed  in  meditation.  The  possession  of 
comparative  wealth  had  evidently  not  yet  made 
Keginald  a  happier  boy ;  for  ever  since  his  six 
teenth  birth-day  he  had  worn  a  thoughtful  air, 
and  often  appeared  full  of  care.  He  had  told  his 
aunt  Emily,  who  was  his  favorite  confidant,  that 
he  sometimes  almost  envied  Horace,  because  he 
was  not  obliged  to  be  the  dispenser  of  wealth. 
The  children  were  quite  amazed  at  the  effect  of 
his  new  possessions  upon  their  generous  cousin, 
and  could  not  account  for  his  not  bestowing 
upon  them  the  various  little  luxuries  which  he 
had  previously  intimated  should  be  theirs  when 
ever  they  were  at  his  command.  Celia  Eogers 
entirely  despaired  of  ever  possessing  the  desire 
of  her  heart,  a  wrought  gold  bracelet,  for  on 
mentioning  her  admiration  of  such  ornaments 
to  Keginald,  he  had  quietly  handed  her  a  Bible, 
open  at  St.  Paul's  description  of  the  suitable 
adorning  of  women.  Mary  held  out  much 
longer  in  her  hopes  of  a  pretty,  new  purple 
velvet  Prayer-book,  with  her  name  on  a  real 
gold  clasp,  for  she  knew  her  cousin  loved  to 
gratify  her  when  he  could,  and  she  had  heard 


THE   FAMILY   AT  BEULAH.  21 

him  say  herself,  that  "  the  best  of  books  ought 
to  have  the  best  of  bindings."  She  forgot  that 
she  had  already  a  very  nice  one,  bound  in  En 
glish  leather,  which  would  outlast  three  of  the 
kind  on  which  she  had  set  her  heart. 

Reginald,  in  his  conscientious  investigations 
with  regard  to  the  wisest  expenditure  of 
money,  had  already  discovered  that  things 
which  seemed  expensive  were  eventually  the 
cheapest  because  of  their  durability,  but  could 
not  decide  how  far  he  was  fulfilling  his  duty  in 
purchasing  mere  articles  of  luxury  for  the  en 
couragement  of  manufacture,  and  to  provide 
labor  for  the  poor.  He  remembered  the  remark 
of  a  certain  divine,  who  answered  this  popular 
plea  for  self-indulgence  by  the  suggestion,  that 
there  could  never  be  wanting  followers  of  mam 
mon  to  make  a  demand  for  such  superfluities, 
so  that  Christians  could  employ  their  means 
where  they  were  extensively  and  immediately 
useful.  Poor  Reginald!  No  wonder  that  he 
felt  inclined  to  envy  Horace;  for  what  with 
reading  political  economy  and  reports  of  all  the 
various  societies  of  the  Church,  and  examining 


22  CONSECRATED   TALENTS. 

the  claims  of  the  large  number  of  applicants 
who  immediately  came  to  him  for  assistance, 
he  had  become  perfectly  loaded  with  business. 
He  had  not,  however,  forgotten  the  desire  of 
his  little  cousin  for  the  showy  Prayer-book,  but 
having  priced  one,  and  found  that  he  could 
obtain  for  the  same  sum  twenty-five  plainer 
copies  to  give  to  a  new  floating  church,  he 
decided  that  the  expenditure  could  not  be 
placed  in  his  account-book  with  a  reason  op 
posite  which  could  make  it  justifiable. 

It  is  no  wonder  that  Mary  could  not  enter 
into  his  feelings,  for  he  had  already  taken  a 
step  in  advance  of  many  of  her  most  excellent 
friends.  She  forgot  that  all  the  family  had  the 
same  claim  on  Reginald  for  expensive  gifts  as 
herself,  and  that  it  was  his  duty  to  calculate  if 
the  sum  expended  on  the  whole  could  not  be 
better  employed.  So  sure  had  she  felt  that  her 
wishes  would  be  complied  with,  that  a  place 
in  the  little  bureau  in  the  nice  room  occupied 
by  Celia  Eogers  and  herself,  had  been  already 
allotted  to  the  imaginary  treasure. 

The  girls  took  great  delight  in  their  room, 


THE   FAMILY  AT   BEULAH.  23 

where  they  passed  many  happy  hours.  It  was 
as  pleasant  an  apartment  as  one  could  wish. 
Mrs.  Hastings  knew  the  value  of  domestic  habits 
to  girls,  and  had  therefore  studied  to  make  this 
room  peculiarly  attractive.  On  each  side  of  the 
capacious  chamber  was  a  dressing-room,  large 
enough  to  contain  a  little  bed,  and  all  that  was 
necessary  for  a  neat  and  careful  toilet.  Besides 
a  pretty  little  book-case,  filled  with  useful  and 
interesting  works,  there  was  a  splendid  piano 
between  the  large  windows,  which  was  the  es 
pecial  pride  of  Celia  Eogers,  who  had  early 
evinced  a  most  decided  taste  for  music. 

Celia  Eogers  was  the  daughter  of  an  early 
friend  of  Mrs.  Hastings,  who  was  now  travelling 
in  Europe  for  the  restoration  of  her  health.  In 
the  days  of  their  intimacy  both  were  thought 
less,  arid  lived  only  for  the  world ;  but  when 
Mrs.  Hastings  became  more  sober-minded,  she 
did  not  on  this  account  renounce  the  friend  of 
her  youth.  It  is  true,  that  after  inviting  Celia 
to  pass  the  year  of  Mrs.  Kogers'  absence  at 
Beulah,  Mrs.  Hastings  trembled  lest  she  had 
provided  Mary  with  a  companion  who  would 


24  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

be  most  injurious;  but  her  husband  comforted 
her  with  the  hope  that  their  united  influence 
would  outweigh  that  of  the  new  associate. 

"How  incessantly  you  study!"  remarked 
Celia  one  morning  to  Mary,  soon  after  Kegi- 
nald's  birth-day.  "I  suppose,  though,  that  your 
mother  keeps  you  at  your  book.  I  am  thank 
ful  that,  for  one  year  at  least,  my  time  is*  my 
own." 

Mary  laid  down  her  book,  and,  for  a  mo 
ment,  her  pretty  face  wore  a  puzzled  expres 
sion,  and  her  smooth  brow  was  wrinkled  with 
perplexing  thoughts.  "Who  gave  you  this 
year  for  your  own?"  she  asked  at  length  in  a 
peculiarly  innocent,  earnest  manner. 

"Who  gave  it  me!"  replied  Celia,  almost 
contemptuously ;  "  why  mother,  of  course.  She 
said  I  was  to  be  my  own  mistress,  and  Mrs. 
Hastings  agreed  with  her  that  I  was  to  have 
my  time  at  my  own  disposal.  You  need  not 
look  so  shocked,  Mary,  for  I  heard  your  wise 
mother  remark  that  she  thought  every  body 
ought  to  learn  to  manage  their  own  time." 

"  Did  she  ?"  asked  Mary  with  the  same  per- 


THE   FAMILY   AT   BEULAH.  25 

plexed  air ;  "  well,  then,  of  course  it  must  be 
so.  I'll  ask  her  what  she  meant  the  other 
day  by  telling  me  every  hour  was  a  new 
loan  from  God." 

Celia  said  nothing  more,  but  commenced 
drumming  on  the  piano  the  first  part  of  a  new 
polka,  thinking  to  herself,  "What  a  tiresome 
family  this  is !  one  never  makes  a  remark  but 
they  get  a  sermon." 

Mary  continued  reading  in  silence  for  some 
time,  and  then  approaching  the  piano  some 
what  timidly,  with  a  little  volume  of  manu 
script  poems  in  her  hand,  she  said, 

"Celia,  will  you  play  Sartoria  for  me?  I 
want  to  see  if  the  words  of  Horace's  new 
hymn  can  be  set  to  it." 

"Sartorial  and  pray  what  tune  is  that?" 
asked  Celia,  laughing. 

"  Why,  the  one  we  sang  in  church  last  Sun 
day,"  answered  Mary,  more  boldly. 

"The  one  that  goes,  Tol,  dol,  de,  dol,  doll" 
exclaimed  Celia.  "  I  play  that  humdrum  air ! 
No !  indeed.  I  only  know  three  hymn  tunes, 
and  those  are  old  songs  Christianized.  My 


26  CONSECRATED   TALENTS. 

German  teacher  never  would  let  me  learn  any 
sacred  music,  for  fear,  he  said,  it  would  injure 
my  style  of  playing,  which,  excuse  my  mod 
esty,  he  thinks  decidedly  brilliant." 

Mary  made  no  reply,  but  determined  to  ask 
her  own  mother,  the  first  opportunity,  if  play 
ing  sacred  music  spoiled  any  one's  execution. 
She  walked  in  silence  to  her  seat  by  the  win 
dow,  and  read  over  again  her  brother's  new 
hymn  with  evident  pride  and  pleasure.  Celia 
was  discontented  with  herself,  for  she  saw  she 
had  wounded  Mary  by  her  contemptuous  way 
of  speaking  of  hymn  tunes,  which  were  the 
only  music  with  which  she  was  acquainted. 
She  rattled  over  several  waltzes  with  an  uneasy 
mind,  and  then,  getting  up  from  the  piano, 
came  and  threw  herself  in  a  luxurious  rocking- 
chair,  which  was  also  her  own  property,  as 
Mrs.  Hastings  would  never  have  provided  a 
seat  so  calculated  to  foster  her  indolent  habits. 
At  its  side  was  a  pretty  little  work-table,  which 
was  also  her  own ;  the  top  of  which  was  in  the 
form  of  a  large  basket,  and  contained  various 
articles  that  were  in  themselves  a  clue  to  Celia's 


THE   FAMILY  AT  BEULAH.  27 

character.  There  was  a  purse  half  knit  before 
crocheting  was  in  fashion,  and  dropped  as  soon 
as  she  learned  the  latter  art.  There  was  a  pair 
of  slippers  there  too,  which  had  been  begun 
on  canvass,  in  single-stitch,  and  were  thrown 
aside  to  make  room  for  a  newer  pattern.  The 
worsteds  were  all  in  a  snarl,  and  the  silk  was 
tarnished  by  being  pulled  out  several  times, 
so  that  the  purses,  when  finished,  would,  nei 
ther  of  them,  be  acceptable  gifts.  Celia  stirred 
round  the  contents  of  the  basket,  till  she  had 
extricated  a  tiny  strip  of  soiled-looking  mus 
lin,  which  had  caught  in  knitting-needles  and 
crochet-hooks  till  it  had  received  several  small 
rents,  and  already  needed  darning.  She  com 
menced  hemming  away  violently  on  this  ques 
tionable-looking  piece  of  work,  till,  with  a  great 
effort,  and  without  looking  at  Mary,  she  bolted 
out  what  was  meant  for  a  kind  remark : 

"  If  you'll  give  me  the  notes,  Mary,  I'll  learn 
that  horrid  tune,  now  you  want  to  set  Horace's 
hymn  to  it ;  but  I  don't  see  what  possesses  him 
always  to  write  to  such  doleful  metres." 

Though  Celia's  manner  was  so  blunt,  Mary 


28  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

saw  that  she  was  trying  to  be  kind;  and  her 
face  grew  brighter  as  she  answered,  "Oh,  he 
does  not  think  them  doleful,  and  he  wants  to 
write  to  tunes  that  every  body  knows.  Mam 
ma  says,"  she  added  very  earnestly,  "that  it  is 
an  honor  to  the  greatest  poet  in  the  world  to 
have  hymns  of  his  writing  sung  in  church  to 
the  praise  of  God." 

"But  how  can  Horace's  hymn  be  sung  in 
church,  Mary?"  asked  Celia,  half  amused  by 
the  simplicity  of  her  young  companion,  and 
impressed  by  the  reverential  manner  with 
which  Mary  always  mentioned  every  thing  con 
nected  with  religion.  "We  only  use  the 
hymns  in  the  Prayer-book,  on  every  occasion." 

"I  will  tell  you  a  secret,"  said  Mary,  her 
cheeks  glowing  with  animation.  "You  must 
not  tell  any  body,  or  let  Eeginald  know  that 
you  have  heard  of  it,  for  papa  has  taught  him 
to  feel  almost  ashamed  if  any  body  finds  out  the 
good  he  does.  You  know  Dr.  Campbell  used 
to  be  a  teacher  in  one  of  the  Free  Church  Sun 
day-schools  in  New  York.  This  interested 
Reginald  in  the  Church,  and  when  he  was  last 


THE   FAMILY   AT   BEULAH.  29 

in  the  city,  lie  visited  this  Sunday-school,  and 
got  acquainted  with  some  of  the  children.  He 
found  that  there  were  actually  some  little  girls 
there  who  had  never  seen  the  country;  and 
one  of  the  teachers  told  father,  who  went  with 
cousin  Reggie,  that  there  were  three  in  his 
class  who  had  never  been  beyond  the  limits  of 
the  city.  They  lived  in  the  fourth  story  of  a 
miserable  old  house,  which  had  not  even  a 
court  for  them  to  play  in,  and  the  largest  piece 
of  ground  they  had  ever  seen  was  the  Park,  ex 
cepting  once,  when,  as  a  great  treat,  they  rode 
down  in  the  omnibus  to  the  Battery.  Only 
think  of  that,  Celia !  How  could  they  imagine 
a  '  vineyard,'  or  know  about  '  lilies  of  the  field,' 
brought  up  in  that  little  dirty  street  where  they 
only  saw  the  sun  at  noon,  and  through  clouds 
of  smoke?" 

"I  don't  believe  it,"  said  Celia.  "I  don't 
see  how  it  is  possible  that  they  never  went  over 
to  some  of  the  neighboring  towns  when  any 
ferry-boat  would  have  carried  them  for  a  few 
pennies." 

"  But,  Celia,  they  had  to  work  all  the  week 


30  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

for  pennies  to  buy  bread,  so  they  had  none  to 
spare.  Anyhow  father  believed  the  story,  and 
you  know  he  is  a  lawyer,  and  used  to  finding 
out  whether  things  are  true  or  not.  He  said 
he  believed  it  would  make  these  children  actu 
ally  better  to  get  one  large  view  of  God's  glo 
rious  works  as  we  see  them,  and  Eeggie,  of  his 
own  accord  too,  proposed  a  plan  that  could 
give  them  a  peep  at  these." 

"I  understand,  I  understand,"  said  Celia, 
nodding  her  head;  "but  go  on  and  tell  me 
all  about  it." 

"What's  the  use  if  you  know  it  all  before 
hand  ?"  said  Mary,  laughing. 

"Oh,  just  to  see  how  excited  you'll  get  in 
telling  it,"  said  Celia,  playfully. 

"  Well,  if  I  amuse  you,  I  am  glad  of  it,  for  I 
am  very  happy  myself  when  I  think  of  this 
pic-nic.  The  way  it  is  to  be  done  is  this: 
Next  Saturday  afternoon  all  the  children  are  to 
have  a  holiday,  and  the  parents  are  to  be  paid 
for  whatever  work  the  children  would  have 
done  if  they  had  stayed  at  home.  Then  Eegi- 
nald  has,  with  father's  help,  chartered  a  boat  to 


THE   FAMILY   AT   BEULAH.  31 

bring  them  up  to  the  cove,  and  they  are  to 
have  a  pic-nic  in  the  woods  near  the  landing, 
which  belongs,  you  know,  to  the  Campbell 
estate.  Father  and  mother  are  to  help  fur 
nish  the  provisions  for  the  treat,  and  Horace 
has  written  a  hymn  which  they  are  all  to  sing 
to  Sartoria,  because  that  is  the  tune  they  know 
best." 

"But  how  are  they  to  learn  it?"  asked  Celia 
doubtfully. 

"Oh,  it  is  going  to  be  printed,"  said  Mary, 
with  evident  pride  at  such  an  honor  being  con 
ferred  on  her  brother's  poetry,  which,  in  her 
own  heart,  she  thought  worthy  of  being  framed 
in  gold. 

"But  is  Eeginald  to  pay  for  that?"  asked 
Celia.  "I  thought  he  esteemed  it  wicked  to 
spend  money  for  any  thing  that  was  not  really 
useful ;  and  what  good  can  there  be  in  printing 
those  verses  when  there  are  thousands  already 
in  the  world  as  good,  and  better  too  ?" 

Mary  almost  lost  her  temper  at  this  remark, 
but  she  conquered  herself  and  answered  very 
mildly,  "  Perhaps  so ;  but  father  says  they  can 


32  CONSECRATED   TALENTS. 

all  take  home  the  printed  hymns,  to  keep  them 
in  mind  of  the  day,  which  he  hopes  may  give 
them  some  better  notions  of  the  greatness  and 
goodness  of  our  heavenly  Father.  Besides, 
Celia,  I  do  not  see  how  it  can  be  wasting 
money  that  belongs  to  God,  to  use  it  in  making 
children  learn  to  sing  praises  to  Him  or  remem 
ber  His  kindness." 

Celia's  objections  were  silenced  by  this  re 
mark.  She  helped  Mary  find  the  tune  in  Can- 
tus  Ecclesias,  and  sung  it  with  her  at  the  piano 
so  sweetly,  no  one  would  have  remarked  the 
little  errors  in  the  versification.  Celia  herself 
began  to  like  the  tune,  and  said  half  aloud,  "I 
can't  see  why  sacred  music  should  spoil  one's 
singing  and  playing." 

"Nor  I,"  said  Mary,  as  if  the  remark  had 
been  addressed  to  her.  "  And  if  it  did,  Celia, 
what  matter  would  it  be  ?  I  am  sure  it  is  nicer 
to  sing  'Youth,  when  devoted  to  the  Lord,  is 
pleasing  in  his  eyes,'  than  about  '  dreaming  you 
wandered  in  marble  halls,'  or  that  song  that 
tells  you  not  to  love,  when  the  Bible  tells  us 
we  ought  to  love  every  body." 


THE   FAMILY   AT  BEULAH.  33 

"What  a  pity  it  is  you  are  a  girl,  Mary! 
you  would  have  made  such  a  nice  minister," 
said  Celia  jestingly;  but  she  put  her  hand 
affectionately  in  those  brown,  glossy  curls,  and 
kissed  Mary  with  an  affection  that  only  sim 
plicity  and  faith  can  inspire. 


34  CONSECKATED  TALENTS. 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE     PIC-NIC     AT     CAMPBELL'S     GROVE. 

THOUGH  Keginald  Campbell  was  in  many 
respects  very  mature  for  his  age,  in  others  he 
was  quite  a  child.  From  the  moment  that  the 
plan  of  the  pic-nic  was  suggested  to  him  he 
was  impatient  for  its  execution,  and  hardly 
closed  his  eyes  on  the  night  preceding  the 
eventful  day.  His  joy  was  unbounded  when 
he  found  that  the  sun  was  rising  clear  and 
bright,  and  before  it  had  fairly  appeared  above 
the  horizon  he  was  already  equipped  for  his 
ride. 

The  boys  were  to  accompany  the  Judge  on 
horseback,  to  Campbell's  Grove;  then  came 
Mrs.  Hastings  in  the  carriage  with  the  girls, 
while  a  large  ox-cart,  loaded  with  provisions, 
followed  in  the  rear.  Both  Keginald  and 
Horace  were  overflowing  with  animation  as 
they  sprang  upon  the  fine  horses,  which  were 


THE  PIC-NIC  AT  CAMPBELL'S  GROVE.     35 

a  recent  purchase  of  the  former,  who  entered  in 
his  account-book  his  reasons  for  the  expendi 
ture,  thus:  "Bought  two  horses,  to  afford 
Horace  and  myself  a  healthful  and  cheerful 
exercise ;  while  at  the  same  time  we  may  be 
come  better  acquainted  with  the  state  of  the 
poor  in  its  vicinity,  and  acquire  a  keener  relish 
for  the  beauties  of  nature." 

The  improvement  in  Horace's  health  since 
the  possession  of  Bucephalus,  for  so  he  had 
named  his  steed,  seemed  quite  to  justify  the 
expenditure;  and  Eeginald  had  marked  with 
delight  the  rich  glow  that  had  appeared  on  his 
cousin's  cheek  and  the  increased  activity  of  his 
slight  frame.  The  exercise  of  riding,  too,  al 
ways  exhilarated  his  spirits;  and  this  eventful 
morning,  even  the  little  anxiety  he  felt  as  to 
the  singing  of  his  own  hymn  could  not  depress 
his  gaiety. 

Mary  thought  as  she  saw  the  party  ride  away 
from  the  door,  that  her  brother  Horace  certainly 
was  the  most  beautiful  as  well  as  the  most 
talented  boy  in  the  world.  She  could  not, 
however,  long  meditate  on  his  perfections,  for 


36  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

it  was  necessary  to  prepare  for  her  own  ride : 
so  she  ran  up  to  her  room,  humming  as  she 
went  the  first  part  of  her  favorite  Sartoria. 
Celia  Eogers  was  already  dressed,  but,  contrary 
to  Mary's  expectations,  she  wore  only  a  ging 
ham  and  her  common  straw  bonnet. 

"Why,  Celia,  how  shabbily  you  look!"  she 
exclaimed;  "you  have  got  on  the  very  frock 
you  told  me  last  week  that  you  were  going  to 
give  to  the  chambermaid,  and  you  said  that 
was  only  fit  for  a  gardening  bonnet." 

"  That  is  precisely  why  I  put  them  on,"  said 
Celia,  with  her  coldest,  proudest  air.  "When 
I  am  going  among  the  rabble,  I  do  not  think  it 
worth  while  to  dress  up,  as  they  will  do,  in  my 
best." 

"  The  rabble !"  said  Mary,  with  astonish 
ment,  "there  will  be  no  rabble  at  the  Grove. 
The  steamboat  is  only  going  to  bring  up  the 
Sunday-school,  and  there  will  be  no  others 
there,  only  Mr.  Hinton's  family,  whom  father 
invited  to  be  present. 

"And  what  are  the  Sunday  scholars  but  rab-, 
ble?"  asked  Celia,  contemptuously.  "They  are 


37 

all  picked  up  out  of  the  gutter ;  Eeginald  told 
me  himself  that  the  city  missionary  had  col 
lected  them  out  of  the  very  dregs  of  the  popu 
lation." 

For  a  moment  Mary  was  silent.  She  could 
not  deny  this  part,  but  still  she  was  aware  that 
the  manner  in  which  it  was  mentioned  was 
decidedly  wrong.  At  length  she  said,  musing 
ly,  "I  know  they  are  poor,  Celia,  but  Grod 
made  them  so,  and  I  cannot  see  why  we  should 
be  proud  because  He  saw  fit  to  make  us  dif 
ferent." 

No !  Mary  saw  no  reason  for  pride,  because 
she  was  not  in  the  least  tempted  to  that  fault. 
She  had  not  been  taught  like  Celia,  from  her 
infancy,  that  she  belonged  to  an  entirely  differ 
ent  class  from  those  of  her  fellow-beings,  and  to 
associate  with  them  would  be  contamination. 
Her  mother,  it  is  true,  had  told  her  that  it  was 
for  the  good  of  mankind  in  general  that  they 
should  have  different  employments,  some  of 
which  needed  education  and  refinement,  while 
others  only  called  for  bodily  strength.  She  had 
also  been  informed  that  it  was  for  the  happiness 


38  CONSECRATED   TALENTS. 

of  all  that  those  should  associate  together  whose 
manners,  habits,  and  employments  were  most 
alike,  and  plain  and  uneducated  people  felt  as 
uncomfortable  with  those  who  had  had  greater 
advantages,  as  the  refined  did,  in  society  which 
was  not  congenial  to  them.  But  she  had  also 
been  told  that  her  position  in  life,  as  it  gave  her 
more  influence,  was  a  talent,  and  that  she  must 
improve  it  by  being  as  kind  as  possible  to  all 
within  her  reach,  that  they  might  be  the  more 
inclined  to  follow  the  good  example  which  it 
was  her  bounden  duty  to  set  them.  Indeed, 
Mrs.  Hastings  had  impressed  this  truth  so  often 
upon  the  minds  of  her  children,  that  they  were 
almost  inclined  to  change  places  with  any  who 
had  not  to  answer  for  influence  abused,  as  well 
as  for  their  individual  faults. 

But  if  free  from  pride,  there  was  another 
sin  to  which  Mary  was  often  tempted.  That 
pretty  face  of  hers  gave  her  wondrous  pleasure, 
and  now,  as  she  stood  curling  her  brown  locks 
around  her  long  white  fingers,  she  wondered  if 
any  body  that  day  would  observe  their  beautiful 
color.  Then  she  pinched  her  cheeks  slightly, 


to  see  how  she  looked  when  animated,  and  put 
on  her  round  straw  hat  very  carefully,  and 
slowly  backed  away  from  the  mirror,  to  see 
herself  at  full  length,  and  notice  if  her  feet 
really  looked  so  very  small  as  she  had  been 
told  that  they  did  by  some  injudicious  friend. 
Yes !  there  was  no  doubt  of  it.  They  were  dear 
little  feet,  and  she  was  certainly  very  pretty; 
tall  for  her  age,  and  uncommonly  ladylike  for  a 
girl  of  thirteen.  She  smiled,  and  then  smiled 
again,  because  she  thus  showed  little  white 
teeth  between  her  full  and  red  lips,  like  the 
most  delicate  pearls.  So  occupied  was  she  with 
self-admiration,  that  she  did  not  even  hear  her 
mother  enter  the  room.  "Yes,  you  are  very 
pretty,  my  child,"  said  Mrs.  Hastings,  who  read 
Mary's  thoughts  in  the  guilty  start  she  gave 
when  aware  of  her  presence.  "  Yery  pretty  1" 
she  repeated  sadly ;  "  God  has  made  a  beautiful 
house  for  your  soul  to  live  in  on  earth.  '  You 
cannot  admire  too  much  any  of  His  works,  nor 
be  too  thankful  for  His  kind  gifts.  But,  my 
dear  child,  I  am  afraid  that  though  beauty  has 
been  loaned  to  you  as  a  talent,  to  be  employed 


40  CONSECKATED   TALENTS. 

in  your  Creator's  service,  you  have  hitherto 
considered  it  entirely  your  own.  Eemember, 
that  from  those  who  do  not  improve  their 
talents,  will  be  taken  away  even  that  which 
they  have.  Your  earthly  body  must  be  re 
turned  to  its  Giver,  and  if  it  has  not  been  used 
in  His  service  you  will  not  receive  in  its  place 
an  incorruptible  one  full  of  glory.  Kemember, 
my  dear  child,  that  the  being  on  whom  you  are 
gazing  with  such  delight,  must  decay  in  the 
grave,  and  that  every  thought  of  vanity  will 
render  it  less  probable  that  you  shall  be  clothed 
in  eternal  beauty.  But  I  cannot  stay  to  say 
more  upon  this  subject.  The  carriage  is  wait 
ing  for  us,  and  I  trust  that  I  shall  not  see  again 
on  your  face  that  self-complacent  expression 
which  to  me  would  make  the  loveliest  features 
disagreeable. 

Mary  made  no  reply,  but  the  tears  rose  to 
her  eyes.  They  were  not  tears,  however,  of 
anger,  for  she  felt  the  reproof  was  just,  and  was 
thankful  that  she  had  so  judicious  and  excellent 
a  mother.  She  saw  now,  that  if  Celia's  choice 
of  a  dress  had  shown  the  deep-rooted  haughti- 


THE   PIC-NIC  AT  CAMPBELL'S  GKOVE.       41 

ness,  which  was  the  great  fault  of  her  character, 
her  own  had  as  clearly  proved  the  vanity 
which  was  her  besetting  sin.  She  followed  her 
mother  in  silence  to  the  carriage,  but  Mrs. 
Hastings  soon  banished  all  unpleasant  feelings 
by  her  pleasant  conversation,  and  the  ride  to 
the  Grove  seemed  very  short,  and  was,  as  both 
the  girls  declared,  "most  delightful." 

On  their  arrival  at  the  scene  of  the  expected 
festivities,  Celia  and  Mary  busied  themselves  in 
arranging  the  provisions  on  the  long  tables 
which  Eeginald  and  Horace  erected.  There 
was  abundance  of  cold  chickens  and  cold  ham, 
and  plenty  of  nice  bread  and  butter,  but  no 
dainties.  Mrs.  Hastings  knew  that  some  of  the 
poor  children  who  were  coming  had  rarely 
enough  of  any  kind  of  food,  and  that  it  would 
be  unwise  to  endanger  their  health  by  giving 
them  a  supply  of  luxuries  to  which  they  were 
unaccustomed.  The  fare  of  her  own  children 
was  always  simple,  because,  after  renouncing 
for  them  all  the  sinful  lusts  of  the  flesh,  she 
had  no  idea  of  fostering  in  them  that  greediness 
which  is  one  of  the  besetting  sins  of  childhood. 


•i* 


42  CONSECRATED   TALENTS. 

Substantial  and  excellent  food  they  had  in 
abundance,  but  it  was  never  made  a  reward, 
nor  the  deprivation  of  it  a  punishment,  lest  it 
should  acquire  undue  value.  Hospitality  was 
exercised  to  all  "  without  grudging,"  but  she 
gave  to  the  stranger  such  things  as  she  had, 
and  there  was  no  complaining  at  Beulah  of 
headaches  from  too  free  indulgence  in  rarities 
prepared  for  the  entertainment  of  guests. 

In  the  boys,  Mrs.  Hastings  was  particularly 
anxious  not  to  excite  a  fondness  for  good  liv 
ing,  having  seen  many  a  mother  broken-hearted 
by  the  dissipation  of  a  son  in  whom  she  had 
cultivated  the  love  of  eating,  which  is  the  pre 
cursor  of  the  love  of  drinking,  by  taking  pains 
to  give  him  delicacies  in  his  childhood.  She 
believed  that  in  every  Christian  household  the 
Lenten  rule  of  abstinence  should  be  prolonged 
throughout  the  year ;  at  least,  that  "  the  flesh 
should  be  so  subdued  to  spirit  that  they  might 
ever  serve  God  in  righteousness  and  true  holi 
ness." 

The  arrangement  of  the  tables  was  just  com 
pleted  when  Horace  cried  out  that  he  saw  the 


43 

smoke-pipes  of  the  Erie  through  the  trees,  and 
in  a  moment  she  was  letting  off  steam  at  the 
landing-place.  Celia  and  Mary  ran  to  the  edge 
of  the  grove  to  see  the  children  come  on  shore, 
and  Mary  even  could  hardly  help  smiling  at 
their  singular  appearance.  All  were  in  their 
holiday  clothes,  but  they  were  of  every  variety. 
Some  wore  tarnished  finery;  some,  expensive 
but  outgrown  and  inappropriate  clothing,  and 
a  few,  homespun  garments  of  the  coarsest  sort, 
while  here  and  there  some  absolutely  ragged 
urchins  were  sprinkled  among  the  crowd. 
There  were  little  girls  in  flaring,  faded,  blue  and 
pink  bonnets,  with  silk  capes  evidently  made 
for  grown-up  women,  and  boys  with  velvet 
jackets  with  barren  spots  here  and  there,  and 
gaudy  buttons ;  and  as  for  hats,  he  was  a  hap 
py  fellow  whose  head  fitted  into  its  covering. 
Big  skulls  were  squeezed  into  little  winter 
caps,  and  small  boys  were  running  about  in 
broad-brimmed  beavers,  which  threatened  to 
slip  over  their  noses  and  almost  cover  them. 
Mr.  Neville,  the  pastor  of  this  curious  little 
flock,  had  requested  that  any  person  in  the  dis- 


44  CONSECRATED   TALENTS. 

trict  where  lie  resided  would  send  to  him  such 
clothing  as  they  were  willing  to  bestow  on 
charity.  A  few  weeks  after,  the  apartment  in 
which  these  donations  were  stored  presented  a 
striking  commentary  upon  the  style  of  dress 
adopted  even  by  the  conscientious  and  benevo 
lent. 

If  Christians  have  only  their  own  cast-off 
clothes  to  bestow  in  charity,  would  it  not  be 
well  for  them  to  adopt  some  style  of  dress 
which  would  not  render  objects  of  their  charity 
absolutely  ridiculous,  or  cultivate  in  them  a 
taste  which  may  prove  their  ruin.  The  deli 
cate  materials,  however,  which  are  often  per 
fectly  suitable  for  the  wealthy,  are  of  no  use  to 
the  laboring  classes.  Might  it  not,  therefore, 
be  a  more  judicious  way  for  those  who  assist 
to  clothe  the  destitute,  to  practise  some  self- 
denial  instead  of  changing  with  every  fashion, 
and  giving  away  that  which  is  useless  to  them, 
because  out  of  date?  They  could  wear  the  dress 
appropriate  to  their  station  till  it  was  no  longer 
serviceable,  and  employ  the  money  thus  saved 
by  a  fitting  attention  to  the  Christian  rule,  in 


THE   PIC-NIC   AT   CAMPBELL'S   GROVE.       45 

buying    such    clothing    as   would   be  of   real 
service  to  the  poor. 

Among  the  gentlemen  who  landed  from  the 
steamboat  with  the  children,  there  was  one 
whose  whole  manner  and  appearance  were 
most  attractive ;  his  thin,  gray  hair  was  parted 
smoothly  over  a  high,  fair  forehead,  and  there 
was  a  smile  of  such  benevolence  on  his  intelH- 
gent  face  that  the  smallest  child  in  the  group 
was  not  afraid  to  run  and  take  hold  of  his 
hand  as  they  commenced  climbing  the  hill 
which  led  to  Campbell's  Grove.  Indeed,  he 
seemed  to  be  a  universal  favorite,  for  tall, 
rough-looking  boys  clustered  around  him,  lis 
tening  eagerly  for  his  replies  to  their  clamorous 
questions.  This  gentleman  was  Mr.  Neville, 
who  had  been  for  many  years  a  city  mission 
ary.  By  his  exertions  the  congregation  had 
been  gathered  together  that  now  compose  the 
Free  Church,  of  which  he  was  pastor.  He  was 
acquainted  with  every  child  in  the  Sunday- 
school,  and  to  many  of  them  he  had  been  intro 
duced  under  circumstances  which  enlisted  his 
peculiar  sympathy.  The  little  girl  that  he  led 


46  CONSECRATED   TALENTS. 

by  the  hand  was  an  orphan  whom  he  had  first 
seen  as  a  baby  in  her  cradle,  when  called  to 
visit  a  poor  woman  who  had  been  nearly 
burned  to  death.  The  mother  died  in  a  few 
weeks,  leaving  her  child  without  a  friend  in  the 
world,  excepting  the  benevolent  clergyman, 
who  immediately  made  the  case  known  to 
some  pious  individuals  who  looked  to  him  for 
advice  in  the  discharge  of  their  stewardship. 
By  their  aid  little  Ellen  had  been  placed  in  one 
of  the  charitable  institutions  of  the  Church, 
until  a  lady  took  her  into  her  family  to  bring 
up  as  a  waiting-maid.  It  is  true  that  she  was 
too  young  to  be  yet  of  much  service,  as  she 
was  now  only  eight  years  old ;  but  Mrs.  Nash 
wisely  remarked  that  the  foundation  of  all 
character  was  laid  in  childhood,  and  that  she 
could  not  expect  Ellen  to  become  such  a 
woman  as  she  liked  unless  schooled  under  her 
own  eye.  At  her  own  request  the  child  had 
been  allowed  to  attend  the  Sunday-school  of 
the  Church  of  the  Messiah,  where  her  attentive 
behavior  gave  great  satisfaction  to  her  excel 
lent  friend. 


THE   PIC-NIC   AT   CAMPBELL'S   GROVE.       47 

But  it  would  take  too  long  to  tell  the  history 
of  all  Mr.  Neville's  proteges.  Some  of  the 
boys  were  chimney-sweeps,  who  had  been  re 
leased  from  tyrannical  masters;  some,  newspa 
per  boys,  who  had  been  persuaded  to  leave  an 
employment  so  dangerous  to  their  morals ;  and 
some,  foundlings,  who  knew  only  the  name 
given  them  when  they  were  rescued  from  de 
struction.  With  these  children  of  misfortune 
there  were  others  fortunate  enough  to  have 
poor  but  honest  parents,  who  were  drawn  to  the 
Church  of  the  Messiah  by  the  simple  pleadings 
of  its  warm-hearted  pastor.  All  his  flock  were 
regarded  by  him  with  deep  interest,  but  his 
pets  were  the  young  wanderers  who  had  been 
won  back  by  persevering  efforts  to  the  paths  of 
happiness  and  peace. 

Eefined,  gentlemanly,  and  intelligent  in  no 
common  degree,  Mr.  Neville  had  passed  the 
best  years  of  life  among  the  wretched  and  de 
graded,  precisely  because  he  found  that  his  very 
refinement  and  intelligence  gave  him  an  influ 
ence  over  the  coarse  and  ignorant,  of  which 
they  were  not  themselves  aware.  The  harsh 


48  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

voice  insensibly  softened  as  it  replied  to  his 
gentle  tones,  and  the  hardened  face  showed 
often  a  gleam  of  feeling  as  it  met  his  kind  eye. 
No  mortal  tongue  could  tell  how  many  souls 
had  been  saved  from  perdition  by  his  coura 
geous  efforts,  but  frequently  there  came  to  his 
ear  the  tidings  of  some  sinner  rescued,  through 
his  instrumentality,  from  eternal  misery,  and 
then  he  rejoiced  with  the  pure  joy  of  the  an 
gelic  choir.  Oh,  thrice  blessed  is  the  man  who 
is  gifted  by  nature  for  the  discharge  of  a  mis 
sion  so  much  resembling  that  of  his  divine 
Master,  who  came  "not  to  call  the  righteous, 
but  sinners  to  repentance!" 

It  was  nearly  sunset  when  the  sound  of  mu 
sic  clear  and  sweet  rose  from  Campbell's  Grove 
to  the  blue  sky  above.  A  hundred  children 
were  singing,  with  hearts  gladdened  by  the 
lovely  scene  around  them,  the  praises  of  their 
gracious  Father  in  heaven.  Judge  Hastings 
and  his  wife,  with  the  girls,  stood  on  a  little 
mound,  under  a  tall  oak,  commanding  a  view 
of  the  youthful  band.  Horace  was  seated  on  a 
stump  near  them,  and  as  he  listened  to  the 


THE    PIC-NIC   AT   CAMPBELL'S   GROVE.       49 

• 

words  of  his  own  composition,  a  deep  flush  set 
tled  on  his  young  cheek,  and  agitating  thoughts 
were  evidently  passing  through  his  mind.  He 
had  written  many  verses  before,  but  none  of 
them  had  affected  him  thus.  It  seemed  so  like 
leading  the  devotions  of  others  to  have  com 
posed  the  form  of  words  in  which  praise  was 
offered  to  the  Almighty.  He  almost  trembled 
at  the  thought.  Had  he  sufficiently  considered 
the  solemnity  of  the  act,  and  was  he  fitted  to 
discharge  such  an  office?  He  felt  now  that 
it  was  not  sufficient  that  words  thus  sung 
should  contain  poetical  thoughts — they  must  be 
the  breathings  of  a  pious  heart.  Any  man 
might  write  poetry;  but  only  a  child  of  Glod 
could  know  in  what  language  to  address  his 
Father. 

Oh,  it  is  strange  at  what  seasons,  and  by 
what  means,  the  Spirit  of  Grod  impresses  upon 
our  hearts  those  truths  which  reason  has  long 
acknowledged!  While  seated  on  that  stump, 
Horace  realized  the  fact  that  the  noblest  em 
ployment  of  human  intellect  was  the  praise  of 
its  Giver,  but  that  this  employment  must  be 


50  CONSECRATED   TALENTS. 

preceded  by  an  entire  surrender  of  our  souls  to 
His  service.  He  remembered  the  words  of  the 
Confirmation  Hymn,  and  uttered  its  fervent 
petition, 

"Deign,  Lord,  to  make  me  wholly  Thine," 

with  a  sincerity  which  accounted  for  the  spirit 
of  devotedness  that  his  subsequent  life  dis 
played. 

The  last  echo  of  the  hymn  died  away  among 
the  hills,  and  the  children  were  preparing  for 
departure,  when  a  sudden  scream  of  terror  was 
heard  from  the  place  where  Celia  Eogers  had 
wandered  alone.  A  frank,  fine-looking  boy 
sprang  to  the  spot  just  in  time  to  snatch  up  in 
his  hand,  and  whirl  over  the  hill,  a  poisonous 
snake  that  was  just  preparing  to  spring  upon 
the  affrighted  girl.  No  sooner  was  this  manly 
act  performed  than  he  fell  back  into  the  group 
from  which  he  had  separated  himself. 

When  Celia  recovered  her  self-command, 
she  was  unable  to  distinguish  her  deliverer; 
but  in  spite  of  her  fright,  the  momentary 
glimpse  she  had  of  him  had  awakened  disa- 


c^: 


PACE     50. 


greeable  feelings  in  her  proud  heart.  As  she 
had  been  standing,  a  few  hours  before,  under 
a  little  rustic  arbor  which  the  boys  had  erect 
ed,  a  scene  had  passed  which  she  did  not  now 
like  to  remember.  Her  dress  had  been  so 
studiously  plain,  that  she  was  several  times 
mistaken  for  one  of  the  Sunday-school  chil 
dren,  and  certainly  many  of  them  were  her 
superiors  in  politeness  and  consideration  on 
that  occasion.  While  talking  with  Mary,  this 
same  noble-looking  boy  had  approached  her 
and  asked  politely,  "  Is  this  bright  red  flower 
the  Cardinal  flower?  I  have  not  been  in 
the  country  since  I  was  five  years  old,  and 
I  want  to  know  if  this  is  my  mother's  fa 
vorite." 

Mary,  who  was  studying  his  face,  saw  the 
tears  filling  his  dark  eyes  as  he  mentioned  the 
word  "Mother;"  but  Celia  was  looking  the 
other  way,  as  she  haughtily  replied,  "I  do  not 
know  the  names  of  any  of  these  weeds ;  they 
are  all  the  same  to  me." 

"Indeed!"  said  the  boy,  with  grieved  sur 
prise,  "I  beg  your  pardon  for  asking  the 


52  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

question,  but  I  did  so  want  to  know,  and  I 
could  not  find  Mr.  Neville." 

"Here  I  am,  Frederick,"  said  the  pleasant 
voice  of  the  pastor,  as  he  emerged  from  the 
other  side  of  the  arbor,  where  he  had  been  an 
unintentional  listener  to  the  foregoing  conver 
sation,  and  a  grieved  observer  of  Celia's  un 
christian  manners.  "Yes!  that  is  a  Cardinal 
flower,  and  if  you  will  give  it  to  me,  I  will 
take  it  home  and  press  it  for  you,  to  keep  in 
memory  of  this  pleasant  day." 

An  eloquent  blush  bespoke  the  boy's  grati 
tude  as  he  turned  away. 

ISTo  remarks  were  at  that  time  made  by  the 
clergyman,  but  when  Celia  heard  that  he  had 
exchanged  with  their  own  pastor,  and  was  to 
return  in  the  carriage  to  Beulah,  she  felt  no 
pleasure  at  the  information.  She  was  almost 
sure  that  the  boy  who  had  saved  her  life  was 
the  same  whom  she  had  thought  impertinent 
in  asking  a  civil  question.  If  so,  which  stood 
the  highest  in  the  scale  of  beings,  one  who 
would  give  pain  without  provocation,  or  he  who 
would  ward  it  off  at  the  risk  of  his  own  life  ? 


THE    PIC-NIC   AT   CAMPBELL'S   GKOVE.       53 

Nothing  lias  been  said  of  Keginald,  who  on 
this  day  was  studiously  quiet,  and  no  one  could 
have  suspected  from  his  manner  that  he  was 
the  giver  of  the  fete.  He  referred  every  thing 
to  Judge  Hastings  with  modest  respect,  and  was 
very  desirous  the  children  should  not  be  told 
to  whom  they  were  indebted  for  so  happy  a 
day.  At  the  same  time  he  had  ma'de  various 
inquiries  with  regard  to  such  children  as  had 
excited  his  particular  attention,  and  has  set 
down  in  his  memorandum-book  the  names  of 
those  to  whom  he  thought  some  aid  might  be 
most  useful.  What  need  was  there  of  his 
name  being  known?  he  was  only  the  instru 
ment,  and  most  fortunate  in  being  allowed  thus 
to  dispense  enjoyment. 

And  now  the  steamboat  bell  rang  loud,  and 
the  children  eagerly  flocked  on  board.  A  mo 
ment  more  and  the  Erie  glided  away,  and  soon 
disappeared  from  sight.  Mr.  Neville  handed 
Mrs.  Hastings  and  the  girls  to  the  carriage,  and 
then  took  his  seat  beside  them,  while  Judge 
Hastings  and  the  boys  remained  for  a  few 
minutes,  to  see  that  the  fragments  of  the  feast 


54:  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

were  packed  away  into  the  ox-cart,  and  then 
they  mounted  their  horses,  and  rode  home  so 
rapidly  that  they  arrived  in  time  to  welcome 
the  clergyman  to  Beulah. 


55 


CHAPTER  IV. 


"  THE  bright,  the  beautiful,  the  blessed  Lord's 
Day!"  exclaimed  Horace,  as  he  woke  to  con 
sciousness  on  the  ensuing  morning.  His  win 
dow  commanded  a  view  of  the  rising  sun,  and 
as  he  saw  the  glorious  clouds,  gilded  with  its 
dawning  splendor,  adoring  thoughts  of  the 
great  Creator  filled  his  young  heart. 

An  eye  for  the  beautiful,  and  a  love  for  the 
outward  forms  of  nature  add  much  to  the  hap 
piness  of  life ;  but  this  is  not  their  only  aim. 
Horace  had  been  taught  that  even  his  percep 
tions  of  beauty  added  to  his  responsibility,  and 
it  was  inexcusable  in  him  not  to  make  some 
return  for  the  love  which  he  could  read  in 
every  glistening  star  and  fragile  flower. 

"  What  shall  I  render  unto  the  Lord  for  all 
His  mercies !"  was  the  involuntary  question  of 
his  grateful  heart.  And  what  could  he  render 


56  CONSECKATED   TALENTS. 

since  he  possessed  nothing  which  he  had  not 
received  at  the  Lord's  hands. 

"  Time,  Health,  Intellect,  Influence,  these  are 
Thy  gifts,  Parent  of  Good,"  he  again  ejaculated. 
"Oh,  give  me  grace  to  use  them  aright!" 

Horace  had  been  from  his  childhood  a  sober- 
minded  boy,  and  had  been  taught  always  to 
consider  himself  as  admitted  by  baptism  to  fel 
lowship  with  Christ's  Church,  if  he  did  not 
forfeit  this  glorious  privilege.  He  looked 
eagerly  forward  to  the  time  when  he  could 
renew  in  Confirmation  the  vows  that  had  been 
made  for  him  in  infancy,  and  at  fifteen  the  wish 
of  his  heart  had  been  fulfilled.  It  is  sometimes 
said  that  Christian  education  often  fails  to 
attain  its  end,  but  this  had  not  been  the  experi 
ence  of  Judge  Hastings.  His  children  were 
fallible  beings,  often  overpowered  by  tempta 
tion  and  sin,  but  ever  repenting  and  confessing 
their  errors  and  seeking  forgiveness  through 
the  blood  of  Christ.  They  were  viewed  by 
their  parents,  and  taught  to  view  themselves,  as 
beings  created  for  God's  glory,  and  whose  chief 
aim  must  be  to  advance  that  end.  As  they 


LIFE'S  MISSION.  57 

drew  nearer  to  maturity,  they  were  led  to 
examine  themselves,  so  as  to  discover  in  what 
way  they  could  be  most  extensively  useful; 
and  even  Mary  had  learned  to  ask  in  every  un 
dertaking,  "Will  it  forward  the  purpose  for 
which  I  was  created?  Will  any  one  thus  be 
made  better  or  happier?" 

With  such  views,  it  is  no  wonder  that  these 
young  people  hailed  the  Lord's  Day  with  de 
light.  It  furnished  them  with  refreshing  food, 
by  which  they  were  better  enabled  to  dis 
charge  every  duty.  But  the  thoughts  which 
had  passed  through  the  mind  of  the  young  poet 
while  listening  to  his  own  verses  had  made 
him  peculiarly  susceptible  to  all  holy  influ 
ences.  He  felt  that  he  must  look  upon  na 
ture's  broad  expanse,  and  rising  quickly,  he 
dressed  himself,  and  walked  forth  upon  the 
lawn.  The  air  was  so  delightful  that  insen 
sibly  he  wandered  down  the  hill,  and  crossing 
the  small  bridge  at  its  foot,  ascended  a  rocky 
precipice  which  overhung  the  little  stream. 
As  he  stood  gazing  on  the  fresh  beauty  of 
the  morning,  a  pleasant  voice  saluted  his  ear 


58  CONSECRATED   TALENTS. 

with  the  words,  "You  are  out  early,  my  young 
friend,  but  I  see  your  temptation — this  beau 
tiful  scene,  is  it  not?" 

"Indeed  it  is,  sir,"  he  replied  respectfully, 
as  he  saw  Mr.  Neville  appearing  from  the 
other  side  of  the  projecting  rock  on  which  he 
stood.  Both  remained  for  some  time  gazing 
in  silence  as  the  golden  clouds  faded  away, 
till  they  were  lost  in  the  clear  blue  of  day. 

"I  wish  that  I  were  a  man,"  exclaimed 
Horace  at  length,  with  much  animation. 

"Why  so?"  asked  Mr.  Neville,  wondering 
why  at  such  a  moment  the  lad  should  wish 
to  exchange  joyous  youth  for  care-worn  man 
hood. 

"So  that  I  might  assume  your  office,  sir, 
and  tell  all  mankind  of  the  love  of  Him  who 
made  this  beautiful  world,"  was  the  earnest, 
yet  modest  reply. 

"  Such,  then,  are  your  aspirations  ?"  re 
marked  Mr.  Neville,  with  a  smile  of  benevo 
lent  delight;  "God  grant,  my  boy,  that  they 
may  be  one  day  fulfilled!  But  you  need  not 
wait,  Horace,  for  manhood  to  publish  the 


LIFE'S  MISSION.  59 

goodness  of  your  Maker.  Do  you  not  know 
that  you  are  already  a  consecrated  missionary, 
and  there  is  abundance  of  work  for  all  your 
energies  and  strength?" 

"How  so?"  asked  Horace,  eagerly.  "Tell 
me  where  is  any  work,  that  I  may  do  it." 

"You  belong  to  that  Church,"  was  the  re 
ply,  "  which  is  the  body  of  our  divine  Lord, 
to  whom  He  committed,  upon  His  Ascension, 
the  work  of  Christianising  the  whole  earth. 
Prompted  by  the  holiest  of  motives,  gratitude 
and  love,  aided  by  His  ever-present  Spirit,  its 
chief  aim  and  end  is  to  save  a  perishing  world. 
To  this  aim  every  other  must  be  made  subser 
vient,  every  faculty  and  every  talent  devoted. 
1  Ye  are  the  salt  of  the  earth,  ye  are  the  light 
of  the  world,'  were  the  words  of  Christ  to 
His  disciples,  and  all  who  are  named  by  His 
name  are  now  called  upon  to  purify  and  en 
lighten  the  earth.  It  is  true,  it  is  the  duty 
of  each  individual  to  cultivate  personal  holi 
ness,  that  the  salt  may  not  lose  its  savor,  nor 
the  lamp  its  oil,  but  this  is  only  the  begin 
ning.  Each  must  labor  to  discover  what 


60  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

place  is  allotted  to  him  in  the  vast  field,  and 
what  instruments  he  is  best  fitted  to  use,  and 
then  devote  himself  wholly  to  his  appointed 
task.  'Whether  prophecy,  let  us  prophesy 
according  to  the  proportion  of  faith;  or  min 
istry,  let  us  wait  on  our  ministering;  or  he 
that  teacheth,  on  teaching;  or  he  that  ex- 
horteth,  on  exhortation.'  " 

"I  know,"  said  Horace,  thoughtfully,  "that 
we  may,  and  must  all  be  useful  according  to 
the  best  of  our  abilities,  but  only  in  the  cleri 
cal  profession  can  the  salvation  and  the  relief 
of  misery  be  the  whole  business  of  life.  Other 
men  must  give  much  of  their  time  to  some 
secular  occupation." 

"There  is  the  very  point  which  so  few 
understand,"  answered  Mr.  Neville.  "Every 
calling  in  life  may  be  made  the  instrument 
of  fulfilling  a  higher  mission,  and  ought  to  be 
considered  as  such.  The  merchant  should 
view  trade  as  the  instrumentality  through 
which  his  light  is  to  shine.  By  a  disinterest 
ed,  upright,  and  high-minded  course,  he  may 
reach  hearts  which  were  impervious  to  any 


61 

other  agency.  Every  vocation  forces  a  man 
into  more  intimate  acquaintance  with  those 
similarly  employed,  and  this  gives  him  an 
opportunity  for  exerting  over  them  a  more 
powerful  influence,  while  it  directs  their  at 
tention  to  his  own  life  and  conduct,  and  the 
principles  by  which  he  is  actuated.  The  mer 
chant  thus  becomes  a  missionary  to  merchants 
in  general,  the  mechanic  to  those  similarly 
employed,  and  the  laborer  to  those  who  share 
his  daily  toil.  The  latter  may  not  even  come 
within  the  sound  of  a  clergyman's  voice,  but 
there  may  be  moments  when  a  fellow-laborer 
may  drop  good  seed  into  his  heart,  which 
could  have  been  sown  by  no  other  hand. 
While  two  mowers  are  cutting  down  the  long 
grass  they  may  discover  the  hidden  bird's 
nest,  and  one  may  direct  the  other's  attention 
to  the  piercing  cries  of  the  parent  from  the 
neighboring  bush,  and  speak  of  that  universal 
parental  love  whose  type  and  image  is  found 
in  every  animate  being.  Or  they  may  be 
mutually  rejoicing  in  the  refreshing  influence 
of  a  much-needed  shower,  and  the  missionary 


62  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

laborer  may  take  occasion  to  speak  of  Him 
who  sends  '  the  former  and  the  latter  rain.' 
To  do  this  effectually  his  life  must  give 
weight  to  his  words,  and  this  it  will  be  more 
apt  to  do  if  he  feel  rightly  his  own  consecra 
tion,  body  and  soul,  to  the  service  of  Christ." 

"  But  these  are  men,  all  men,"  said  Horace, 
despondingly,  "and  again  I  could  wish  I  were 
a  man,  that  I  might  be  more  extensively 
useful." 

"  And  is  youth  no  talent,  my  young 
friend,"  asked  Mr.  Neville,  kindly,  "that  you 
are  so  willing  to  give  up  its  advantages?  You 
would  throw  away  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
instruments  in  the  plan  of  benevolence.  There 
is  a  power  in  the  earnest  piety  of  a  young 
heart  to  unseal  the  purer  fountains  in  those 
of  the  old,  and  to  reach  the  coldest,  most 
world-hardened  men.  Uncontaminated  by 
contact  with  evil,  and  unstained  by  vice,  the 
young  are  the  ordained  preachers  of  purity 
and  disinterestedness.  They  should  beware 
lest  in  their  zeal  for  active  usefulness  they 
deviate  from  the  modest  virtues  which  give 


LIFE'S  MISSION.  63 

them  most  powerful  influence.  Glowing 
health!  vigorous  strength!  ardent  enthusiasm! 
these  all  whisper  of  a  being  fresh  from  the 
hand  of  God,  and  when  seen  entirely  devoted 
to  His  service  they  have  a  most  delightful 
effect  in  keeping  alive  the  cheerfulness  and 
activity  of  those  who  are  discouraged  because 
of  the  way.  As  I  look  at  you,  now  burning 
with  zeal  to  be  up  and  doing,  I  recall  my  own 
youth,  and  feel  its  ardor  renewed.  This  very 
morning  you  have  done  missionary  labor,  my 
boy,  for  you  have  made  me  see  the  blessed 
privilege  of  having  so  many  avenues  of  use 
fulness  open  before  me.  There  are  tunes 
when  I  am  almost  burdened  with  the  respon 
sibilities  which  have  accumulated  upon  me, 
but  I  recall  the  hour,  when  like  you  I  longed 
for  a  wider  field  of  action,  and  it  cheers  me 
on  to  labor  more  faithfully." 

A  deep  blush  overspread  the  face  of  the 
young  lad,  and  he  said  modestly,  "Oh,  sir,  I 
can  hardly  believe  that  I  can  have  done  or 
said  any  thing  that  could  affect  you  thus,  but 
I  am  very  sure  I  shall  never  forget  your 


64  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

words.  Yes,  sir,  till  I  can  be  a  clergyman,  I 
will  try  and  fulfil  that  mission  with  which  I 
am  already  intrusted;  I  will  ask  my  father  if 
he  thinks  me  fitted,  in  later  life,  to  assume 
the  holiest  of  all  professions,  and  if  so,  oh, 
how  joyfully  will  I  go  forth  to  spread  the 
glad  tidings  of  salvation." 

So  saying,  Horace  accompanied  Mr.  Neville 
to  the  little  path  which  wound  down  the  hill, 
and  crossing  the  bridge  they  walked  up  the 
long  avenue  of  elms  which  led  to  the  house, 
in  perfect  silence. 

The  Judge  was  standing  in  the  green  ve 
randah  watching  for  their  return,  and  accom 
panied  them  into  the  library,  where  the  rest 
of  the  family  were  already  assembled  for  their 
usual  morning  devotions. 

Never  before  had  Horace  so  fully  felt  the 
force  of  the  language  of  the  "General  Con 
fession"  in  the  Prayer-book,  in  which  every 
member  of  the  family  supplicates  God,  for 
Christ's  sake,  that  he  "may  hereafter  live  a 
godly,  righteous,  and  sober  life." 

Oh!  how  can  so  many  Christians,  not  only 


LIFE'S  MISSION.  65 

listen  to,  but  join  in  those  solemn  words,  week 
after  week,  and  month  after  month,  and  then 
go  forth  to  their  daily  occupations,  to  buy 
and  to  sell,  to  teach  and  to  learn  to  heap 
up  riches,  as  if  the  treasures  they  accumulated 
were  their  own,  for  which  they  must  render  no 
account ! 


66  CONSECKATED  TALENTS. 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE       ORPHAN. 

SUNDAY  evening  was  always  a  delightful 
time  at  Beulah,  for  Judge  Hastings  and  his 
wife  were  both  then  at  leisure  to  converse 
with  the  young  people,  and  solve  for  them 
some  of  the  various  questions  which  had  been 
puzzling  their  conscientious  minds  during  the 
week.  The  presence  of  Mr.  Neville  gave  ad 
ditional  charm  to  this  happy  season,  and  by 
degrees  the  conversation  fell  mostly  into  his 
hands,  while  the  rest  of  the  circle  were  de 
lighted  listeners. 

Eeginald  had  found  courage  to  ask  for  the 
history  of  many  of  the  Sunday-school  scholars 
in  whom  he  had  been  particularly  interested 
the  day  before;  he  had  also  been  promised 
Mr.  Neville's  company  in  his  intended  visits 
to  them,  whenever  his  uncle  would  give  him 
permission  to  go  to  the  city.  Mary  had  been 


THE  ORPHAN.  67 

silent  during  these  inquiries,  but  all  at  once 
she  exclaimed  with  great  animation,  "Oh, 
you  have  not  told  us  any  thing  about  that 
noble  boy  that  threw  the  snake  over  the  hill 
so  fearlessly." 

Celia  blushed  at  this  allusion;  but  no  one 
noticed  her  confusion  excepting  Mr.  Neville, 
who  said,  looking  at  her  inquiringly,  "Would 
you  all  like  to  know  something  of  him?" 

"Certainly,"  said  Celia,  looking  the  other 
way,  and  trying  to  conceal  her  embarrass 
ment.  "I  must  know  something  of  him,  and 
find  some  way  to  repay  the  service  he  did 
me." 

"That  you  may  easily  do,"  said  Mr.  Nev 
ille,  kindly,  "and  I  am  sure  when  you  know 
more  of  his  history,  you  will  feel  that  he  is 
as  worthy  of  respect  as  patronage."  This  last 
word  was  emphasized  in  such  a  way,  as  to 
show  Celia  that  the  clergyman  had  seen,  and 
disapproved  the  haughtiness  of  her  manners. 

"  About  a  month  since,"  continued  Mr.  Nev 
ille,  "I  was  standing  one  morning  at  the 
church-door,  when  I  saw  a  fine,  manly-look- 


68  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

ing  boy  approaching,  holding  by  the  hand  a 
little  girl  of  about  three  years  of  age. 

" '  Is  there  an  infant  department  in  your 
school,'  said  he,  accosting  me  respectfully, 
1  in  which  I  could  place  my  little  sister?' 

"'Yes,  and  a  Bible-class  for  boys  of  your 
size,  if  you  will  join  it,'  I  replied,  suspecting 
that,  like  some  other  young  lads,  he  might 
think  religious  instruction  was  only  needed  by 
little  girls. 

"'Thank  you,'  said  he,  gratefully.  'That 
is  just  what  I  wish.  I  wanted  to  come  to  the 
school  myself,  and  could  not  leave  my  little 
sister  at  home  alone.' 

"  '  Where  do  you  live  ?'  I  asked  with  in 
terest,  for  the  boy's  manner  was  very  plea 
sing,  and  I  had  not  at  that  time  leisure  to 
become  better  acquainted  with  him. 

"He  gave  me  the  number  and  street,  and 
the  next  day  I  started  in  search  of  the  place. 
I  easily  found  the  house,  and  was  directed  by 
the  tenant  of  the  lower  story  to  a  small  room 
on  the  fourth  floor. 

"On  knocking  at  the  door,  it  was  opened 


THE   OEPHAN.  69 

bj  our  young  friend,  Frederick,  who  evidently 
had  just  been  writing  at  a  little  pine  table, 
which  was  covered  with  papers.  In  a  small, 
dilapidated  wicker-chair,  beside  the  old  wood 
en  one  from  which  he  had  just  risen,  his  little 
sister  was  seated,  playing  with  some  paper 
dolls,  cut  out  with  a  great  deal  of  ingenuity. 

'"Where  is  your  mother?'  I  asked,  seeing 
no  one  else  in  the  room,  and  observing  that 
the  only  beds  were  a  little  crib  and  a  straw 
pallet  on  the  floor. 

"The  little  girl  caught  the  sound  of  the 
familiar  word,  'Mother,'  and  starting  up  from 
her  seat  ran  to  my  side,  and  leaning  one  arm 
confidingly  on  my  knee,  she  looked  up  earn 
estly  in  my  face,  and  said  with  a  mysterious 
air,  'She  has  been  gone  to  heaven  for  five 
long  weeks.  She  was  very  sick  for  a  great 
while,  but  one  day  she  fell  fast  asleep,  and 
they  took  her  out  of  her  bed,  and  carried  her 
there.  Don't  you  think  she  was  glad  when 
she  woke  up  in  such  a  pretty  place?' 

"  Frederick's  eyes  filled  with  tears  at  these 
innocent  words,  and  I  could  hardly  repress  my 


70  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

own  as  I  kissed  the  dear  little  child,  and 
said,  'Yes,  indeed,  I  do  not  doubt  that  she 
was  very  happy  to  know  that  she  was  in  her 
Saviour's  home.' 

"  '  Is  your  father  not  living,  either  ?'  I  said, 
turning  to  the  brother,  who  had  somewhat 
conquered  his  emotion. 

"'No,  sir,'  he  answered,  in  a  sad  tone. 
'He  died  about  a  year  after  Lotty,  there, 
was  born.' 

" ' And  who  takes  care  of  you  ?'  I  asked, 
in  astonishment. 

" '  I  take  care  of  Lotty,  and  God  takes  care 
of  us  both,'  he  replied,  with  great  simplicity. 

"  'Were  your  parents  Americans?'  I  asked; 
'there  is  something  a  little  foreign  in  your 
accent.' 

"  '  No,  sir,  my  father  was  an  Englishman, 
but  he  came  to  this  country  immediately  after 
his  marriage.  I  do  not  know  any  thing  about 
his  early  history,  but  he  was  a  very  well- 
educated  man,  and  spent  most  of  his  time  in 
writing.  I  believe  he  published  some  book 
which  did  not  sell  well,  and  after  that  he  used 


THE  OKPHAN.  71 

to  earn  his  living  by  copying  writing  for  law 
yers.  While  he  was  ill  mother  wrote  for  him, 
but  writing  and  nursing  him  at  the  same  time 
broke  down  her  health,  and  she  was  never 
well  again  after  his  death.  When  she  began 
to  be  too  feeble  to  write  a  steady  hand,  she 
let  me  try  and  help  her,  and  I  got  so  that 
our  employers  were  as  well  satisfied  with  the 
sheets  I  copied  as  with  hers,  and  then  I  per 
suaded  her  not  to  write  any  more.  She  could, 
however,  do  a  little  fine  sewing,  which  was 
not  so  fatiguing,  and  in  this  way  we  were 
supported  till  about  two  months  ago,  and  then 
she  was  taken  sick  and  confined  to  her  bed. 
The  people  in  the  lower  part  of  the  house 
were  very  kind,  and  helped  us  during  her 
illness,  by  bringing  a  great  many  things 
mother  could  eat.  One  morning,  about  day 
light,  she  was  lying  on  her  bed,  which  I  have 
since  had  to  sell,  and  I  was  on  the  pallet 
beside  her,  when  I  heard  her  say  in  a  very 
low  voice,  "Frederick!" 

"  *  I  rose  immediately,  and  then  she  whis 
pered,  "Don't  wake  Lotty,  I  have  something 


72  CONSECKATED  TALENTS. 

to  say  to  you.  I  am  very  ill,  and  shall  never 
be  any  better.  You  will  soon  be  alone  in  the 
world,  my  poor  boy;  but  you  are  now  fifteen, 
and  with  God's  help  you  will,  I  hope,  not 
suffer  want;  take  care  of  your  little  sister. 
Eemain  here  for  two  months,  till  tidings  will 
have  time  to  reach  you  from  my  friends  in 
England,  to  whom  I  have  written  a  letter, 
which  you  will  find  in  my  trunk.  Kiss  me, 
my  son.  The  orphan's  God  will  protect  you 
and  relieve  me.7' 

"  '  These  were  her  last  words.  A  few  mo 
ments  after  I  heard  something  like  a  deep 
sigh,  and  it  was  all  over.  Just  then  Lotty 
moved  as  if  she  was  going  to  wake,  and  I 
hushed  her  again  to  sleep,  that  I  might  think 
what  I  ought  to  do.  As  soon  as  I  was  sure 
she  slept,  I  went  down  and  told  Mrs.  Martin, 
the  kind  woman  in  the  lower  floor,  what  had 
happened,  and  asked  if  she  would  let  Lotty 
come  down  there  and  stay  that  day.  She 
went  up  stairs,  and  took  her  in  her  arms 
softly,  and  carried  her  down  into  her  room, 
where  she  found  means  to  detain  her  till  even- 


THE   ORPHAN.  73 

ing.  Then  I  went  to  mother's  trunk  for  the 
letter  of  which  she  had  spoken,  and  found 
with  it  one  to  myself,  telling  me  all  that  I 
was  to  do ;  I  then  went  to  the  gentleman  who 
gave  me  writing,  and  asked,  as  mother  had 
told  me  in  this  letter  to  do,  if  they  would 
advance  me  a  few  dollars  to  bury  her.  As 
they  knew  me  very  well,  and  the  writing 
which  had  been  given  had  been  regularly 
done,  they  gave  me  more  than  the  sum  I 
asked.  I  then  requested  an  undertaker  to  let 
me  have  a  plain  coffin  for  mother's  bedstead, 
which  was  the  nicest  thing  we  owned;  and 
after  coming  to  our  room  and  seeing  it,  he 
consented,  and  before  night  every  thing  was 
ready  for  the  funeral.  I  then  went  for  you, 
sir,  to  attend  the  funeral,  as  mother,  whenever 
she  could  go  out,  which  was  very  seldom 
during  father's  illness  and  her  own,  had  gone 
to  hear  you  preach.  You  were  not  at  home, 
but  Mrs.  Martin  found  a  clergyman,  and  I 
went  with  him  to  the  place  where  I  had  got 
permission  to  bury  my  mother.  I  could  not 
have  her  laid  there  without  a  prayer,  and  the 

7 


74  CONSECRATED   TALENTS. 

clergyman  was  very  kind  to  go,  and  promised 
to  come  and  see  me  the  next  day,  but  I 
think  he  must  have  fallen  sick,  for  he  has 
not  been  here  since,  and  he  looked  very  fee 
ble.' 

"In  the  grief  which  these  recollections  ex 
cited,  the  boy  had  forgotten  his  little  sister, 
who  had  stood  beside  me  listening  to  his  nar 
rative,  with  the  big  tears  rolling  down  her 
cheeks,  but  without  speaking.  Now  she  inter 
rupted  him  with  a  burst  of  sorrow,  exclaim 
ing  :  '  Oh,  Frederick,  she  has  not  gone  to 
heaven,  then!  you  put  her  in  a  coffin,  and 
you  put  her  in  the  ground,  just  as  they  did 
that  man  that  died  in  the  next  house.' 

"  '  What  have  I  done !'  said  Frederick,  in 
deep  distress.  'Dear  little  Lotty,'  said  he, 
taking  his  little  sister  in  his  arms,  and  letting 
her  hide  her  tearful  face  on  his  breast,  'mo 
ther  is  in  heaven;  it  was  only  her  body  that 
went  to  the  grave.  Her  soul  went  away  from 
her  body,  because  God  was  going  to  let  it 
have  a  more  "beautiful  one."  Was  it  not  so, 
sir?' 


THE  ORPHAN.  75 

"I  could  hardly  answer,  so  much  was  I 
overcome  by  the  sight  of  these  little  orphans ; 
but  I  at  length  found  words  to  quiet  Char 
lotte,  who,  soon  wearied  with  weeping,  fell 
asleep  in  her  brother's  arms. 

"Frederick  then  continued  his  narrative, 
telling  me  how  he  had  since  continued  to  live. 
He  never  left  home,  only  to  go  for  writing, 
and  then  always  took  his  little  sister  with 
him,  carrying  her  in  his  arms,  when  she  was 
too  tired  to  walk.  This  little  sister  had  accom 
panied  him  to  Campbell's  Grove  on  the  day 
of  the  pic-nic,  and  had  been  under  the  charge 
of  a  daughter  of  his  fellow-lodger,  Mrs.  Mar 
tin,  on  both  occasions  when  my  young  friend, 
Celia,  had  observed  Frederick. 

"  So  beautiful  an  instance  of  parental  devo 
tion  and  manly  energy,"  said  Mr.  Neville,  in 
conclusion,  "I  have  never  before  met.  I  can 
not  persuade  him  to  give  up  the  charge  of  his 
little  sister,  for  whom  I  could  easily  find  an 
asylum,  or  to  leave  the  room  they  occupy 
till  the  time  appointed  by  his  mother  has 
expired. 


76  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

"As  he  was  paid,  in  advance,  for  more  wri 
ting  than  he  can  accomplish  in  several  weeks, 
he  has  been  obliged  to  sell  every  thing  of  any 
value,  and  has  even  disposed  of  all  his  own 
better  clothes,  leaving  nothing  for  himself  to 
wear  but  the  patched  suit  which  excited  the 
contempt  of  some  who  saw  him  on  that  occa 
sion." 

"  Contempt !"  exclaimed  Eeginald,  indig 
nantly;  "every  article  is  a  badge  of  honor. 
What  a  noble  boy !  Show  me  how  I  can  do 
something  to  testify  my  respect  for  such  mag 
nanimous  behavior." 

Mr.  Neville  smiled  pleasantly  at  Keginald's 
enthusiasm,  and  said, 

"  You  shall  go  with  me  to  Mr.  Malcolm's,  a 
friend  of  mine,  whom  I  wish  to  consult  as  to 
the  best  employment  for  our  young  friend, 
when  I  find  out  more  clearly  the  nature  of  his 
mind,  and  the  extent  of  his  previous  education. 
At  present  he  will  want  for  nothing,  and  be 
yond  bare  necessaries  he  is  unwilling  to  receive 
any  assistance." 

"Well!   poverty  must  be  a  glorious  thing 


THE   ORPHAN.  77 

if  it  brings  out  such  virtues,"  said  Eeginald 
warmly. 

"  Yes ;  poverty  may  be  made  an  instrument 
of  much  good,  if  cheerfully  borne,"  replied  Mr. 
Neville;  "but  it  is  a  fiery  ordeal.  The  poor, 
however,  have  their  mission  as  well  as  the 
rich,  and  my  friend  Frederick  has  discharged 
his  in  part,  if  he  has  impressed  upon  you  all 
the  fact,  that  it  is  not  the  circumstances  of  our 
birth,  but  the  manner  in  which  we  use  our 
position  in  life,  which  entitles  us  either  to 
respect  or  contempt." 

These  words  were  a  severe  lesson  for  Celia ; 
but  Mr.  Neville  saw  that  her  pride  needed 
humbling,  and  that,  accustomed  as  she  had 
been  to  flattery  from  her  youth,  even  blunt 
truths  were  necessary  to  startle  her  out  of  her 
self-complacency.  The  story  of  Frederick  Ca 
sey  had  so  awakened  her  better  feelings  that 
she  received  the  lesson  it  conveyed  quite 
meekly,  saying  that  she  hoped  it  had  done 
them  all  good. 

The  next  morning,  when  Mr.  Neville  left 
Beulah,  there  was  a  unanimous  petition  for  a 

7* 


78  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

second  visit,  and  a  promise  was  obtained  from 
Judge  Hastings,  by  the  boys,  that  on  the  fol 
lowing  Saturday  they  should  pay  the  intended 
visit  to  Mr.  Malcolm. 


MR.  MALCOLM'S  COUNTING-KOOM.         79 


CHAPTER  VI. 
MR.  MALCOLM'S  COUNTING-ROOM. 

EEGINALD  and  Horace  welcomed  gaily  the 
bright  day  in  which  they  were  to  accomplish 
the  proposed  excursion  to  the  city.  The  Judge 
could  not  accompany  them  as  he  had  wished, 
but  the  boys  had  been  for  some  time  accus 
tomed  to  be  thrown  upon  their  own  resources, 
and  he  was  never  afraid  to  trust  them  any 
where  alone  when  they  were  several  years 
younger  than  at  present. 

The  house  of  Mr.  Neville  was  easily  found, 
and  that  gentleman  was  in  readiness  to  accom 
pany  them  to  Mr.  Malcolm's  counting-room, 
where  Frederick  Casey  was  to  join  the  party. 
On  their  way  thither,  they  passed  the  Ex 
change,  which,  as  it  was  the  principal  hour 
of  business,  was  crowded  by  active,  energetic 
men,  whose  whole  being  seemed  animated  by 


80  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

one  absorbing  passion.  On  they  passed  with 
hurrying  footsteps,  and  the  keen  eye  which 
peered  from  under  many  closely  knit  brows, 
seemed  to  see  the  golden  goal,  and  flushed  with 
hope  that  it  might  soon  be  won.  Newspapers 
were  seized  with  avidity  as  the  arbiters  of 
fate,  and  the  rise  and  fall  of  different  articles 
of  merchandise  were  sought  with  the  same 
earnest  interest  as  if  their  place  and  happiness 
were  staked  upon  the  daily  vicissitudes  of  for 
tune. 

And  who  were  these,  whose  chief  desires 
their  actions  thus  plainly  declared?  The 
world,  the  mammon-worshipping  world  ?  And 
where  was  the  Church,  that  band  of  meek 
followers  of  Christ,  who,  renouncing  the  cov 
etous  desires  of  the  flesh  were  to  be  the  leaven 
which  should  pervade  the  whole  mass  with 
their  spiritual,  unworldly  faith? 

On  the  Lord's  Day  they  might  be  seen 
worshipping  in  His  house,  and  even  kneeling 
at  His  altar;  but,  as  to-day  they  mingle 
with  the  world,  and  engage  in  its  pursuits, 
plans,  and  purposes,  who  shall  be  able  to 


MK.  MALCOLM'S  COUNTING-ROOM.         81 

discriminate  between  their  spirit  and  aim, 
and  that  of  the  ungodly  world? 

Such  were  the  reflections  of  the  excellent 
clergyman,  as,  followed  by  his  young  com 
panions,  he  threaded  his  way  through  the 
jostling  throng.  They  were  just  turning  out 
of  the  crowded  street  when  they  were  met  by 
a  gentleman  of  singularly  pleasing  appearance, 
to  whom  Mr.  Neville  introduced  Eeginald  and 
Horace.  This  was  the  very  Mr.  Malcolm 
whom  they  were  about  to  visit,  and  he  begged 
them  to  proceed  to  his  counting-room,  to  which 
he  would  return  in  a  few  minutes. 

Though  he  was  evidently  in  a  hurry,  there 
was  something  even  in  the  haste  of  this  truly 
Christian  merchant  different  from  the  absorb 
ing  eagerness  of  the  surrounding  crowd.  His 
treasures  were  laid  up  in  heaven,  and  his 
peace  of  mind  did  not  therefore  depend  on 
those  possessed  on  earth.  There  were  other 
countenances,  too,  among  those  care-worn  men, 
whose  calmness  was  the  result  of  the  same 
certainty  of  a  more  enduring  inheritance ;  but 
there  were  comparatively  few  who  carried,  thus 


82  CONSECRATED   TALENTS. 

written  on  their  brows,  a  letter  which  might 
be  known  and  read  of  all. 

Mr.  Malcolm  had  reached  the  age  of  thirty 
when  the  truth  of  religion  first  broke  upon 
his  mind.  He  was  a  man  of  strong,  clear 
judgment  and  remarkable  firmness  of  charac 
ter  ;  and  it  was  not  without  a  struggle  with  the 
self-confident  pride  of  his  nature,  that  he  de 
termined  to  avow  that  his  whole  previous  life 
had  been  one  of  opposition  to  God.  But  when 
this  decisive  step  was  once  taken,  there  was 
no  more  wavering  in  his  mind  or  conduct. 
He  resolved  that  the  Scriptures  should  be  his 
own  rule  of  life  without  waiting  to  see  how 
they  were  construed  by  those  around  him 
who  professed  to  follow  their  pure  precepts. 
He  had  before  conducted  his  business  as  the 
rules  of  honor  and  morality  demanded,  with 
out  reference  to  the  practice  of  his  fellow- 
merchants,  and  now  that  Christian  principle 
was  his  standard,  he  maintained  the  same 
independence. 

Had  not  the  most  discerning  of  those  with 
whom  Mr.  Malcolm  came  daily  in  contact,  pro- 


83 

nounced  him,  before  this  change  in  his  views, 
a  man  of  sound  sense,  they  would  now  have 
ridiculed  his  ideas  as  the  enthusiastic  fancies 
of  a  fanatic.  But  his  station  placed  him  above 
contempt,  and  had  it  been  otherwise,  his  firm 
consistency  would  have  procured  respect. 

Still  there  were  those,  among  Christians, 
who  shook  their  heads,  and  said  they  did  not 
see  the  necessity  of  the  sacrifices  which  he 
made.  They  also  asserted  that  his  wealth 
must  decrease  while  his  charities  were  so  large 
and  his  business  conducted  upon  the  strange 
principle  of  never  taking  advantage  of  an  op 
portunity  for  gain  which  must  be  another's 
loss.  Among  the  prophets  of  evil  was  a  gen 
tleman  who  returned  with  Mr.  Malcolm  to  his 
place  of  business  a  few  minutes  after  the  arri 
val  of  Mr.  Neville  and  his  young  companions. 

This  gentleman  he  introduced  to  his  other 
visitors  as  Mr.  Sumerville,  and  then  begged 
the  latter  to  excuse  him  for  a  little  while 
longer,  as  he  must  attend  to  an  affair  of  some 
importance.  The  little  room  into  which  he 
then  conducted  Mr.  Sumerville  was  so  near 


84  CONSECRATED   TALENTS. 

that  neither  Mr.  Neville  nor  the  boys  could 
avoid  hearing  the  conversation  that  followed, 
which  served  to  heighten  their  respect  for  Mr. 
Malcolm  in  no  common  degree. 

Mr.  Sumerville  was  also  a  professing  Chris 
tian  ;  but  there  were  many  among  his  daily 
associates  who  never  suspected  the  fact.  He 
was  a  type  of  a  large  class  of  business  men, 
unimpeachable  in  morality,  but  apparently 
blind  to  the  full  extent  of  the  devotion  im 
plied  by  the  baptismal  vow.  If  told  that  any 
practice  were  at  variance  with  the  principles 
of  the  Gospel,  he  would  own,  with  a  sigh,  that 
this  was  true,  but  that  the  world  was  all 
wrong,  and  no  one  man,  in  this  age,  could 
fulfil  his  whole  duty  until  the  spirit  of  the 
times  was  changed.  He  never  thought  how 
this  change  was  to  be  effected,  or  what  was 
to  be  his  share  in  its  execution.  But  it  was 
not  this  subject  which  gave  to  his  usually 
cloudy  brow  a  still  darker  aspect  while  now 
conversing  with  Mr.  Malcolm. 

"I  hear,"  said  he  with  eagerness,  "that  the 
place  of  supercargo  is  not  yet  filled  in  the 


ME.  MALCOLM'S  COUNTING-KOOM.         85 

ship  which  you  are  about  fitting  out  for 
China." 

"It  is  not.  I  have  found  no  one  yet  to 
suit  me  for  that  situation,"  was  the  reply. 

"Then  I  have  a  real  favor  to  ask.  My 
eldest  son,  as  you  may  know,  has  been  long 
a  source  of  anxiety  and  grief  both  to  his  mo 
ther  and  myself,  and  I  am  desirous  to  try 
the  effect  of  a  temporary  absence  upon  his 
feelings  and  character.  He  is  well  educated, 
an  excellent  accountant,  and  most  honorable 
and  gentlemanly  in  all  his  views.  I  have  no 
doubt  that  he  would  discharge  all  his  duties 
well,  and  when  once  broken  off  from  his  pres 
ent  associates,  would  renounce  the  bad  habits 
which  have  given  me  so  much  trouble." 

Mr.  Malcolm  was  evidently  troubled  by  this 
request,  and  it  was  some  moments  before  he 
replied  in  a  calm,  but  kind  tone, 

"You  are  mistaken,  my  dear  friend,  in  the 
course  you  would  pursue.  Believe  me,  it  is 
no  way  to  increase  your  son's  morality,  to 
send  him  to  a  country  where  he  is  not  only 
free  from  all  parental  and  religious  influence, 


86  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

but  even  from  the  restraint  of  public  opinion. 
Moral  men  often  become  dissipated  in  those 
terrible  countries,  where  all  the  sacred  influ 
ences  of  Christianity  are  unknown,  and  the 
vicious  give  themselves  wholly  up  to  the 
errors  which  are  unrebuked  by  their  heathen 
companions.  "Were  your  son  merely  unstable 
by  nature,  the  experiment  would  be  a  peril 
ous  one ;  as  it  is,  I  consider  that  it  might 
end  in  his  destruction." 

"I  differ  from  you  entirely,"  was  the  reply. 
"  The  long  voyage  will  give  Ealph  time  for 
reflection;  and  when  he  arrives  at  his  des 
tined  haven  he  will  have  formed  such  resolu 
tions  as  will  enable  him  to  resist  all  temptation. 
I  am  willing  to  run  the  risk  at  any  rate,  if 
you  will  oblige  me  by  giving  him  the  place 
I  solicit." 

Again  there  was  a  pause,  and  then  Mr. 
Malcolm  announced  with  evident  pain : 

"I  am  sorry  not  to  oblige  you,  but  it  is 
out  of  my  power.  In  sending  a  ship  to  China, 
I  do  not  merely  seek  to  add  to  my  resources, 
but  to  aid  the  cause  of  missions  in  what  seems 


ME.  MALCOLM'S  COU^TING-KOOM.        87 

to  me  the  most  effectual  way.  The  greatest 
hinderance  to  the  hearers  of  the  Gospel  has 
long  been,  as  you  well  know,  the  inconsistent 
lives  of  those  who  have  poured  into  heathen 
countries  from  lands  professing  to  be  Chris 
tian.  I  have  no  right,  for  my  own  advantage, 
to  send  any  man  thither  who  has  such  a  char 
acter  that  he  may  prove  a  stumbling-block  in 
the  way  of  others. 

"I  therefore  make  my  first  requisite  in  the 
choice  of  officers  and  men  for  my  ships,  that 
they  should  be  men  of  practical  religion,  and 
in  so  doing  I  also  give  myself  the  surest 
pledge  of  their  fidelity  and  judicious  discharge 
of  the  business  intrusted  to  them. 

"The  captain  of  the  'Peace'  is  a  man  of 
exalted  character,  and  every  voyage  which  he 
has  made  has  been  most  prosperous  and  suc 
cessful.  The  crew  were  all  recommended  by 
the  chaplain  of  the  Floating  Chapel,  and  admi 
rably  performed  their  duty.  I  had,  after  the 
return  of  the  vessel,  a  letter  from  one  of  our 
missionaries,  who  performed  service  on  board 
the  '  Peace'  while  it  was  in  port,  thanking 


88  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

me  for  having  so  efficiently  aided  a  cause 
which  every  Christian  must  have  at  heart.  I 
have  refused  many  applications  for  this  situa 
tion,  for  the  same  reason  which  now  obliges 
me  to  decline  your  offer." 

"But,"  persevered  Mr.  Sumerville,  "one 
individual  will  do  very  little  harm,  and  what 
you  say  makes  me  only  more  anxious  that 
my  son  should  go,  for  under  such  good  influ 
ences,  he  must  reform." 

"It  is  impossible,"  was  the  decided  reply. 

Mr.  Sumerville  turned  to  leave  the  room, 
in  evident  indignation;  but  just  as  he  had 
reached  the  door,  he  was  arrested  by  Mr. 
Malcolm's  saying,  in  a  tone  of  warm  kindli 
ness, 

"  Stop,  my  friend,  I  have  just  thought  of  a 
way  in  which  I  may  oblige  you.  One  of  my 
clerks,  an  excellent  young  man,  is  in  delicate 
health,  and  a  change  of  climate  might  benefit 
him.  If  he  will  accept  the  place  of  super 
cargo,  I  will  take  your  son  into  my  own 
store,  where  I  can  have  him  constantly  under 
my  eye,  and  hope  to  do  him  good.  It  is  true 


MR.  MALCOLM'S  COUNTING-ROOM.         89 

he  will  be  placed  in  a  responsible  position; 
but  if  he  be  unfaithful,  the  loss  will  be  my 
own,  and  not  an  injury  to  the  souls  of  others. 
Will  that  suit  you?" 

Mr.  Sumerville  stood  transfixed  at  the 
generosity  of  this  offer,  though  Mr.  Malcolm 
thought  himself  only  performing  an  act  of 
Christian  duty. 

"You  deserve  to  prosper,"  he  exclaimed. 
"Under  your  care  how  can  my  son  help  im 
proving." 

While  Mr.  Malcolm  was  thus  occupied, 
Frederick  Casey  had  arrived,  bringing  with 
him  his  little  sister,  and  saying  in  apology  for 
his  tardiness,  "Excuse  me  for  being  too  late, 
but  Mrs.  Martin  was  obliged  to  go  out,  and 
I  could  not  leave  Lotty  with  her,  so  I  had 
to  bring  her  along;  and  she  walks  so  slowly 
that  I  could  not  get  here  sooner." 

"You  are  very  excusable,  my  boy,"  said 
Mr.  Malcolm,  kindly,  as  he  held  out  his  hand 
to  the  delicate  little  girl,  who  was  half  hiding 
behind  her  brother,  and  was  evidently  much 
frightened  at  being  in  a  strange  place. 

8* 


90  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

"I  have  received  tidings  from  England," 
said  Frederick,  giving  at  the  same  time  a 
letter  to  Mr.  Neville,  directed  in  a  bold,  gen 
tlemanly  hand.  "It  is  only  what  I  expected; 
I  did  not  care  to  be  recognized  by  those  who 
were  so  unkind  to  my  mother." 

As  he  spoke  this  last  word,  his  eyes  filled 
with  tears,  but  his  cheek  was  flushed  with 
indignation.  Mr.  Neville  made  no  reply  to 
this  remark,  but  opened  the  letter,  and  read, 
with  displeased  astonishment,  the  contents. 

"I  once  knew  a  young  lady  named  Char 
lotte  Austin,  but  I  am  unacquainted  with  any 
Mrs.  Casey.  You  probably  resemble  the 
father,  whose  name  you  bear,  and  I  must, 
therefore,  decline  making  your  acquaintance. 
"HERBERT  AUSTIN." 

As  Mr.  Neville  involuntarily  re-read  these 
words  aloud,  Eeginald  and  Horace  exclaimed, 
indignantly,  "Shameful!  what  a  monster!" 

"Hush!  hush!"  said  Mr.  Neville.  "Fred 
erick,  those  young  lads  are  friends  of  mine, 


91 

who  also  wish  to  be  friends  of  yours,  but  I 
did  not  mean  to  impart  to  them  the  contents 
of  this  letter  without  jour  consent." 

"It's  of  no  consequence,  sir,"  said  Frederick, 
still  very  much  excited.  "There  is  nothing 
in  it  of  which  I  am  ashamed.  I  should  be 
quite  as  unwilling  to  own  such  a  grandfather, 
as  he  appears  to  be  to  own  me." 

"Softly,  softly,  my  boy,"  said  Mr.  Neville, 
soothingly;  "you  do  not  know  by  what  sor 
rows  his  heart  may  have  been  hardened." 

"I  thought  sorrow  made  the  heart  soft!" 
interrupted  Horace. 

"It  should  do  so,  but  if  it  is  not  received 
in  a  right  spirit,  it  has  the  contrary  effect. 
I  pity  the  writer  of  this  letter,  for  he  cuts 
himself  off  from  the  natural  solace  of  age,  the 
love  and  companionship  of  the  young.  Come 
here,  Lotty,"  he  added,  as  he  drew  the  little 
girl  affectionately  towards  him,  and  placing 
her  on  his  knee,  took  off  her  little  faded  hat, 
and  smoothing  the  soft  golden  curls,  which  fell 
around  her  sweet  innocent  face,  said,  "would 
you  like  to  come  and  live  with  me?" 


92  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

The  little  stranger  seemed  more  startled 
than  pleased  at  this  proposition,  and  looked 
at  Frederick,  for  him  to  answer. 

"  I  do  not  doubt  that  you  would  take  very 
good  care  of  her,  sir,"  he  replied,  "but  in 
deed  we  cannot  be  separated." 

"No?  well,  then,  I  must  have  you  both. 
But  we  will  talk  of  that  some  other  time. 
Here  comes  Mr.  Malcolm,"  he  added,  as  that 
gentleman  entered  the  room.  "Allow  me  to 
introduce  to  you,  sir,  three  of  my  young 
friends.  This  is  Eeginald  Campbell,  who 
needs  some  lessons  in  the  management  of  his 
worldly  goods;  this  is  his  cousin,  Horace 
Hastings,  whose  father,  I  believe,  you  have 
long  known ;  and  this,  sir,  is  my  friend,  Fred 
erick  Casey,  of  whom  you  have  heard  me 
often  speak." 

"And  who  is  this?"  asked  Mr.  Malcolm, 
after  he  had  kindly  shaken  hands  with  the 
boys,  as  he  took  the  little  blue-eyed  girl  up 
in  his  arms,  and  looked  in  her  face  with 
tender  interest.  "It  must  be  the  little  Lotty 
of  whom  you  also  told  me." 


MR.  MALCOLM'S  COUNTING-ROOM.         93 

With  the  quick  instinct  of  childhood,  Lotty 
read  in  the  face  of  the  new  comer  the  be 
nevolence  which  was  such  a  striking  feature 
in  his  character.  She  did  not  struggle  to 
free  herself  from  his  arms,  while  he  continued 
gazing  into  her  eyes  with  evident  pleasure,  and 
saying,  as  if  to  himself,  "  Strange !  so  very 
like  my  lost  Henrietta." 

Mr.  Neville  at  once  conjectured  that  Mr. 
Malcolm  found  in  Lotty  a  resemblance  to  his 
only  daughter,  whose  loss,  a  few  years  before, 
had  been  one  of  the  greatest  afflictions  of  his 
life,  and  he  inwardly  wondered  at  the  provi 
dence  which  had  thus  insured  to  the  orphan 
so  warm  a  friend. 

In  a  few  minutes  Mr.  Malcolm  had  recov 
ered  his  self-command,  but  he  still  held  Lotty 
in  his  arms  while  listening  to  Mr.  Neville's 
account  of  the  refusal  of  Mr.  Austin  to  ac 
knowledge  his  grandchild. 

"How  cruel  to  himself!"  he  exclaimed,  as 
he  looked  fondly  at  the  little  girl  whom  he 
was  so  tenderly  holding;  "but  never  mind, 
Frederick,  you  shall  imagine  that  I  am  your 


94  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

grandfather.  Mr.  Neville  tells  me  that  you 
are  well  advanced  in  your  studies,  and  wish 
to  do  something  for  yourself." 

"Now,  if  you  could  have  your  choice  of  all 
the  occupations  in  the  world,  what  would  you 
rather  be?" 

Frederick  paused  for  some  moments,  and 
then  said,  "If  I  were  only  good  enough,  I 
should  prefer  to  become  a  missionary;  but 
that  I  can  never  be,  for  Lotty  could  not  go 
with  me,  and  I  could  never  leave  her." 

"Why,  where  would  you  wish  to  go? 
There  are  missionary  stations  where  that 
would  be  no  objection." 

"Yes,  sir,"  said  Frederick,  respectfully,  "but 
I  want  to  go  where  widows  are  burned  on 
the  funeral  piles  of  their  husbands." 

"And  why  do  you  wish  to  go  there?" 
asked  Mr.  Malcolm,  delighted  with  the  manly 
independence  of  the  boy's  manner,  and  his 
intelligent,  expressive  countenance. 

"Because,  sir,  that  country  must  be  full  of 
orphans,  and  I  long  to  tell  them  how  good  a 
Father  they  can  find  in  the  Christian's  God." 


This  was  said  with  so  much  feeling  and 
sincerity,  that  Mr.  Malcolm  brushed  away  an 
unconscious  tear.  Lotty  saw  the  bright  drop, 
and  putting  her  little  arm  softly  round  the 
neck  of  her  new  friend,  she  laid  her  face 
sympathizingly  against  his,  whispering,  gently, 
"  Don't  cry,  sir."  The  caressing  manner 
brought  back  so  fully  the  remembrance  of 
his  own  lost  darling,  that  the  bereaved  father 
was  entirely  overcome.  Tear  after  tear  fell 
on  the  head  of  the  fair-haired  child,  while 
she  tried  by  every  innocent  art  to  console 
his  grief. 

"Come  here,  Lotty,"  said  Frederick,  seeing 
that  she  was  the  cause  of  this  emotion. 

"JSTo,  no,"  said  Mr.  Malcolm,  holding  her 
fast;  "you  must  both  come  and  live  with 
me." 

Frederick  looked  at  the  same  time  gratified 
and  annoyed  at  the  proposition.  At  length 
he  said  firmly,  but  respectfully, 

"  My  mother  said  I  was  old  enough  to  sup 
port  Lotty  and  myself;  and  so  I  am.  I  do 
not  wish  to  be  dependent  on  any  one,  but  I 


96  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

should  be  very  happy  to  be  put  in  the  way 
of  helping  myself." 

"Are  you  proud,  Frederick?"  asked  Mr. 
Malcolm,  with  a  slight  accent  of  reproach. 

"I  hope  not,  sir,"  said  Frederick  meekly; 
"but  the  Bible  says,  'If  any  man  will  -not 
work,  neither  let  him  eat.'  If  I  were  old  or 
sick,  I  should  be  willing  to  receive  aid  from 
any  one,  but  Grod  has  given  me  youth  and 
strength,  and  I  ought  to  employ  them  for  my 
sister  and  myself." 

"You  are  right,"  said  Mr.  Neville,  coming 
to  his  aid;  "but  I  think  we  can  settle  the 
matter  so  as  to  please  all.  Mr.  Malcolm  will 
place  you  in  a  way  of  giving  him  such  assist 
ance  as  will  repay  his  kindness,  and  without 
being  separated  from  your  sister,  you  can 
still  be  independent." 

"Certainly,"  rejoined  Mr.  Malcolm  before 
Frederick  could  answer;  "I  will  employ  you 
in  the  store,  and  give  you  a  regular  salary 
for  the  time  thus  occupied,  which  will  be 
only  during  the  eight  business  hours  that  I 
am  here  myself.  I  have  no  family,  but  an 


97 

excellent  housekeeper  who  is  fond  of  chil 
dren,  and  who  will  take  the  best  care  of 
Lotty  while  we  are  absent.  Your  evenings 
you  shall  devote  to  study,  and  you  shall  pay 
your  own  masters  if  you  prefer  to  do  so.  By 
thus  employing  your  spare  time,  you  will  be 
prepared,  when  you  come  of  age,  for  the  pro 
fession  which  is  your  choice,  and  by  that 
time  I  hope  that  we  shall  be  on  such  a  good 
footing  that  you  will  consider  me  as  not  only 
a  friend  but  also  a  father." 

One  would  have  here  thought  that  this 
proposition  had  been  made  to  Eeginald,  from 
his  look  of  delight.  Horace  was  absorbed  in 
thinking  what  a  beautiful  piece  of  poetry  the 
whole  scene  would  make;  but  his  sympathy, 
though  taking  this  form,  was  as  warm  and 
as  genuine  as  that  of  his  cousin. 

Frederick  himself  was  utterly  unable  to 
speak.  Mr.  Neville  answered  for  him,  and 
then  said  to  Eeginald,  "Mr.  Malcolm  will  tell 
you  at  some  other  time  about  the  benevolent 
projects  to  which  you  may  lend  your  aid. 
We  will  now  go  and  visit  some  of  the  ac- 


98  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

quaintances  which  you  have  made  at  the 
Grove." 

The  boys  rose  to  leave,  and  Frederick  called 
his  sister  to  him,  and  putting  on  her  hat  with 
a  kind  of  motherly  care,  was  about  following 
them,  after  a  few  words  of  broken  thanks, 
when  Mr.  Malcolm  detained  him,  saying, 

"Wait  one  moment,  I  must  go  home  with 
you,  for  I  have  a  great  deal  more  to  say. 
Mr.  Neville,  will  you  step  into  this  room?" 

When  the  door  was  closed,  Mr.  Malcolm 
said,  earnestly,  "I  have  just  thought  that  a 
young  Mr.  Sumerville,  whom  I  have  to-day 
offered  to  receive  into  my  store,  may  be  a 
dangerous  associate  for  this  lad.  Do  you 
think  he  has  strength  of  principle  enough  to 
resist  evil  example?" 

"I  think,"  replied  Mr.  Neville,  that  most 
boys  had  better  not  be  subjected  to  this  trial, 
but  in  Frederick's  case,  I  am  almost  sure  he 
will  not  only  resist  evil,  but  impart  good. 
He  may  aid  you  in  your  kind  intentions 
towards  young  Sumerville,  to  which  we  were 
obliged  to  listen.  I  am  sure  that  you  will 


MR.  MALCOLM'S  COUNTING-ROOM.        99 

be  more  than  repaid  for  your  interest  in  so 
noble  a  boy." 

"I  am  certain  of  it,"  was  the  reply. 

Mr.  Neville  and  the  boys  took  leave  with  a 
cordial  invitation  to  pay  another  visit,  and  then 
the  benevolent  merchant  locked  up  his  own 
private  room,  and  proceeded  down  the  street, 
holding  fast  to  one  of  Lotty's  hands,  while 
she  extended  the  other  to  Frederick.  The 
boys  smiled,  as  on  turning  into  another  street 
they  saw  the  little  girl,  almost  skipping  along 
between  her  two  protectors. 

"You  were  ready,  Eeginald,  to  envy,  the 
other  day,  the  energy  and  strength  of  charac 
ter  which  sometimes  result  from  poverty," 
said  Mr.  Neville;  "I  hope  you  have  seen  as 
plainly  to-day,  that  wealth,  rightly  improved, 
may  have  equal  advantages." 

Eeginald  gave  a  silent  assent,  and  then  the 
party  halted  at  the  door  of  a  miserable  dwell 
ing,  where  we  will  leave  them  to  make  the 
acquaintance  of  some  other  children  of  mis 
fortune. 


100  CONSECRATED   TALENTS. 


CHAPTER   VII. 

FAMILY     EDUCATION. 

"Is  it  true  that  you  go  to  school  to  your 
mother?"  was  a  question  once  asked  of  Hor 
ace  Hastings,  by  an  inquisitive  young  com 
panion. 

"Certainly!"  he  replied;  "she  has  taught 
me  all  I  know,  except  Latin,  Greek,  and 
mathematics,  and  in  these  father  gives  us 
lessons." 

"But  are  you  not  ashamed,  at  your  age,  to 
say  lessons  to  a  woman?"  was  the  next  rude 
inquiry. 

"Not  in  the  least,"  exclaimed  Horace,  with 
animation;  "I  am  proud  to  have  a  mother  so 
capable  of  teaching  me,  and  I  only  hope  that 
I  may  be  half  as  intelligent!" 

And  well  might  Horace  be  proud  of  his 
teacher,  for  few  persons  were  so  fitted  to 
direct  the  education  of  the  young  as  Mrs. 


FAMILY   EDUCATION.  101 

Hastings.  It  was  to  her  that  both  Horace 
and  Keginald  owed  the  refinement  and  purity 
of  mind,  the  tender  sensibility,  and  the  manly 
courtesy  which  distinguished  them  among 
their  young  companions.  Many  a  time  had 
the  devoted  mother  been  thankful  for  the 
talents  and  cultivation  which  had  enabled  her 
to  instruct  her  children,  and  given  her  such  a 
tenacious  hold  upon  their  respect. 

Boys  may  love  a  weak-minded  mother 
dearly,  but  intelligence  and  Christianity  alone 
can  preserve  their  esteem,  and  this,  surely, 
is  an  incentive  to  every  woman  to  cultivate. 
to  their  full  extent,  all  the  talents  with  which 
she  is  blessed.  Mary  and  Celia  never  doubted 
the  value  of  education  in  a  woman,  because 
they  saw  a  daily  exemplification  of  its  power 
and  influence. 

The  hour  before  breakfast  was  employed  by 
Judge  Hastings  and  the  boys  in  reading  the 
Xew  Testament  in  Greek,  and  some  of  the 
works  of  the  early  fathers  in  Latin.  Every 
study  was  pursued  in  reference  to  the  one 
great  aim  of  life,  its  preparation  for  eternity, 

9* 


102  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

and  thus  gained  only  its  proper  share  of  at 
tention.  To  read  the  Gospels  and  Epistles  in 
the  language  in  which  they  were  written,  was 
such  an  excitement  to  diligence,  that  the  ru 
diments  of  the  Greek  language  were  mastered 
by  the  cousins  in  an  incredibly  short  period. 
And  then  they  read  the  stirring  addresses  of 
Paul,  or  his  eloquent  letters,  with  such  interest 
in  the  original,  that  they  forgot  that  they  were 
acquiring  a  language  in  their  zeal  to  obtain 
the  true  meaning  of  the  inspired  writer.  Reg 
inald  had  not  the  same  faculty  in  acquiring 
languages  as  his  cousin,  but  the  motive  which 
urged  him  to  diligence  was  so  powerful,  that 
there  were  few  boys  of  his  age  who  had  a 
more  thorough  knowledge  of  Latin  and  Greek. 
And  better  than  this,  instead  of  having  their 
heads  filled  with  the  absurd  fables  of  heathen 
mythology,  and  their  spirits  infused  with  a 
love  of  military  glory,  with  which  the  great 
principles  of  Christian  peace  might  afterwards 
struggle  in  vain,  these  enthusiastic  boys  were 
drawing  constant  draughts  from  the  only  pure 
fountain  of  literature.  The  foundation,  too, 


FAMILY    EDUCATION.  103 

of  all  historical  knowledge  was  thus  firmly 
laid.  The  Bible  was  the  ground-work  of  their 
knowledge  of  the  events  which  had  befallen 
mankind,  and  when  it  ceased,  the  history  of 
the  Church  was  considered  next  worthy  of 
attention. 

As  Horace  was  firm  in  his  intention  of  be 
coming  a  clergyman,  he  was  anxious  to  com 
mence  the  study  of  Hebrew,  and  in  this  his 
father  was  still  able  to  instruct  him,  having 
acquired  a  knowledge  of  the  language,  from 
a  desire  to  be  familiar  with  the  tongue  spoken 
by  those  who  were  once  the  peculiar  people 
of  God.  He  did  not,  however,  encourage 
Reginald  in  taking  up  the  same  study,  as 
there  were  others  more  necessary  to  fit  him 
for  his  own  peculiar  duties.  The  time  that 
was  devoted  by  Horace  to  this  new  study 
was,  therefore,  employed  by  his  cousin  in 
mathematics,  in  which  he  was  somewhat  back 
ward,  for  Judge  Hastings  wished  that  he 
should  have  a  thorough  knowledge  of  finan 
cial  affairs,  that  he  might  attend  to  the  man 
agement  of  his  own  estate.  In  explaining  the 


104  CONSECRATED   TALENTS. 

spread  of  the  Gospel  among  the  Gentiles,  a 
sufficient  sketch  of  the  mythology  of  the 
Greeks  and  Eomans  was  given,  to  enable  the 
young  students  to  see  in  their  superstitions 
the  distorted  images  of  truth,  and  to  under 
stand  with  what  obstacles  Christianity  had,  in 
the  outset,  to  contend.  This,  also,  would 
enable  them  to  appreciate  classical  literature, 
and  those  works  of  art  which  also  had  no 
higher  aim  than  illustrating  the  fables  of  an 
cient  superstition. 

After  breakfast,  the  boys  always  took  a 
long  walk  or  ride,  while  Mrs.  Hastings  and 
the  girls  were  employed  in  their  domestic 
labors,  which  was  at  the  same  time  healthful 
exercise,  and  a  preparation  for  future  useful 
ness. 

Celia  Eogers  had  looked  very  much  sur 
prised  when,  the  day  after  her  arrival,  she 
was  invited  by  Mary  to  come  up  stairs  and 
put  their  room  in  order. 

"  Has  not  the  chambermaid  time  to  do  it  ?" 
she  asked,  haughtily.  "I  am  not  accustomed 
to  such  work." 


FAMILY   EDUCATION.  105 

"Oh,  yes!  she  has  plenty  of  time,  for  she 
always  sews  an  hour  in  the  afternoon,  but 
it's  nicer  to  do  it  ourselves.  I  can't  bear  to 
have  any  one  else  dust  my  nice  books,  and  I 
am  sure  if  I  were  you,  I  would  not  like  to 
have  the  servants  touch  that  piano,  for  fear 
it  would  be  all  scratched  over." 

"I'll  risk  it,"  said  Celia,  "rather  than 
make  a  housemaid  of  myself.  I  suppose, 
though,  at  Kome  I  must  do  as  the  Eomans 
do ;  so  come  in,  and  let  us  get  through  the 
horrid  business  as  quickly  as  possible.  Psha! 
don't  put  on  that  cap ;  you  look  like  a  Dutch 
man." 

"Do  I?"  said  Mary,  laughing,  as  she  looked 
in  the  glass,  where  her  round  face  in  the  cap 
looked  very  like  a  baby's.  "Well,  that  is 
better  than  looking  like  a  dust  woman,  as  I 
should  if  I  did  not  put  it  on." 

At  ten  o'clock,  Mrs.  Hastings  appeared  in 
the  library,  with  a  large  basket  in  her  hands, 
which  always  contained  plenty  of  mending,  to 
employ  herself  and  the  girls,  while  the  boys 
read  aloud  their  lessons  in  history. 


106  CONSECRATED   TALENTS. 

The  course  had  commenced,  as  we  before 
said,  with  reading  the  Bible,  and  had  di 
verged  to  all  the  nations  of  antiquity.  The 
remains  of  Nineveh,  which  had  been  recently 
discovered,  had  excited  the  mind  of  Horace 
so  much,  that  he  had  written  some  very  pass 
able  poetry  upon  the  subject;  and  the  anti 
quities  of  Egypt  had  deeply  interested  all  the 
members  of  the  little  circle.  Voyages,  poetry, 
engravings,  and  maps  were  all  laid  under 
contribution  to  illustrate  history,  and  the  hour 
always  seemed  so  short  that  was  devoted  to 
this  study,  that  it  had  often  been  a  request 
that  the  reading  should  be  prolonged.  This 
proposal  was  negatived  by  Mrs.  Hastings,  as 
it  would  disturb  their  regular  course,  and  de 
prive  some  other  branch  of  knowledge  of  a 
due  share  of  attention. 

And  when  the  dealings  of  God  with  some 
nation  seemed  dark  to  the  inquiring  mind  of 
Horace,  the  solution  of  a  riddle  was  never 
waited  for  with  so  much  impatience  as  the 
explanation  from  the  lips  of  his  beloved 
mother. 


FAMILY  EDUCATION.  107 

One  morning,  during  the  French  lesson, 
which  followed  the  history,  Celia  Eogers 
seemed  lost  in  thought.  This  was  her  fa 
vorite  study,  because  she  deemed  it  indispen 
sable  to  a  polished  lady,  and  such  it  was  her 
aim  to  become.  But  of  late  she  had  heard 
so  often  that  every  hour  must  be  employed 
in  such  a  way  as  to  further,  directly  or  in 
directly,  the  designs  of  her  Creator,  that  she 
had  begun  to  speculate  on  the  utility  of  every 
study  when  viewed  in  this  light.  While 
Keginald  had  been  reading  of  the  great  Se- 
sostris,  she  had  been  saying  to  herself,  "  What 
is  the  use  of  learning  about  him?  He  has 
been  dead  for  thousands  of  years,  and  we  are 
all  going  down  to  the  grave!" 

She  did  not  utter  this  thought   aloud,  but   N 
as  she  tried  to  acquire  a  list  of  French  verbs, 
she  continued  her  mental  questioning,  saying 
to    herself,    "  They    won't    speak    French    in 
heaven,  what's  the  use  of  learning  it  here?" 

Mrs.  Hastings  at  length  asked  what  was 
the  reason  that  Celia  answered  so  incorrectly, 
and  she  seized  the  opportunity  to  express  the 


108  CONSECEATED  TALENTS. 

thoughts  and  speculations  which  had  been  dis 
turbing  her  mind. 

"You  have  often  told  us,  ma'am,  that  we 
need  acquire  nothing  which  will  not  do  us  or 
somebody  else  real  good.  I  should  like  to 
know  what  the  better  any  body  will  or  can  be 
of  my  knowing  about  old  Sesostris,  or  these 
hard  French  verbs?  If  I  ever  get  to  heaven, 
I  don't  suppose  that  old  Egyptian  will  be 
there,  so  there  will  be  no  use  in  making  his 
acquaintance;  and  from  what  Judge  Hastings 
said  about  the  present  infidelity  of  the  French 
nation,  I  don't  believe  I  shall  be  any  better 
for  being  able  to  talk  with  the  parlez  vous." 

Though  the  manner  in  which  these  remarks 
were  made  was  not  a  suitable  one,  Mrs.  Has- 
ings  was  pleased  with  the  question,  for  she 
saw  that  Celia  was  beginning  to  comprehend 
that  her  education  ought  to  have  some  other 
end  than  to  prepare  her  for  appearing  well 
in  society,  which  was,  a  few  weeks  ago,  her 
only  idea  on  the  subject. 

"Let  Sesostris  remain  in  your  memory,"  she 
replied,  kindly,  "as  a  monument  of  the  folly 


FAMILY    EDUCATION.  109 

of  human  pride.  He  entitled  himself  the  king 
of  kings,  but  crumbled  into  dust  before  the 
stones  on  which  he  had  engraved  his  own 
presumptuous  folly.  Few  characters  in  ancient' 
history  can  serve  for  examples,  but  many  may 
be  useful  as  warning,  and  all  can  teach  us 
impressively  of  the  degradation  of  man  when 
cut  off  from  his  Maker." 

"I  can  understand  this,"  said  Celia,  after  a 
pause ;  "  but  I  cannot  see  why,  if  your  views 
of  such  things  are  correct,  it  is  right  to  spend 
so  much  time  on  accomplishments.  What  is 
the  use  of  giving  an  hour  every  day  to  the 
study  of  French  ?" 

"Because,"  was  the  reply,  "it  is  a  language 
universally  understood  by  those  with  whom 
you  associate,  and  which,  if  you  go  abroad  as 
your  mother  intends  that  you  shall  do,  will 
enable  you  to  make  yourself  intelligible  to 
foreigners,  and  to  exert  a  greater  influence 
upon  them.  To  travel  in  Europe,  is  to  as 
sume  great  responsibilities,  for  Americans  are 
the  representatives  of  a  nation  boasting  the 
greatest  religious  and  political  advantages,  and 


110  CONSECRATED   TALENTS. 

bound,  therefore,  to  exemplify  the  principles 
of  Christianity  and  true  Liberty  in  no  com 
mon  degree.  To  be  a  consistent  Christian  in 
Paris,  is  almost  as  difficult  as  in  heathen 
Eome,  and  one  may  be  almost  a  missionary 
in  travelling,  by  a  simple  adherence  to  the 
Gospel,  and  an  earnest  endeavor  to  make 
it  understood  by  all  who  may  come  within 
our  influence.  Besides,  my  dear  Celia,  there 
is  much  which  you  learn  that  only  serves  to 
give  you  a  higher  standing  among  those  with 
whom  you  will  come  in  contact.  An  accom 
plished  lady  can  do  much  more  good  among 
certain  people  than  one  who  has  merely  solid 
acquirements,  provided  always,  even  her  ac 
complishments  are  considered  as  loans,  which 
she  may  indeed  use  for  her  own  pleasure,  but 
of  which  she  must  give  an  account." 

"How  mother  would  laugh  at  the  idea  that 
it  was  her  duty  to  be  a  missionary  in  Paris!" 
said  Celia,  smiling  herself  at  the  ludicrousness 
which  the  idea  would  have  to  her  worldly- 
minded  parent.  "She  thought  her  only  mis 
sion  would  be  to  buy  nice  clothes  for  herself 


FAMILY   EDUCATION.  Ill 

and  me,  and  see  every  thing  that  was  pretty, 
and  every  body  that  was  amusing." 

Mrs.  Hastings  looked  shocked,  for  it  was 
very  true  that  Mrs.  Kogers  considered  a  visit 
to  Paris  as  an  excursion  entirely  for  her  own 
amusement. 

"  She  may  change  her  mind,"  was  the  grave 
answer,  after  a  moment's  pause;  "and  it  may 
be  your  blessed  privilege  to  convey  to  her 
truths  which  she  was  not  so  happy  as  to 
learn  in  her  own  youth.  But  Mary,  my 
dear,"  added  Mrs.  Hastings,  turning  to  her 
child,  who  sat  leaning  her  head  on  her  hand, 
"what  makes  you  look  so  flushed?  Your 
hand,  too,  is  very  hot ;  do  you  not  feel 
well?" 

"My  head  aches  badly,  mother,"  said  Mary, 
"and  ever  since  I  got  up  I  have  had  such 
giddy  turns.  I  did  not  like  to  say  any  thing 
about  it,  for  fear  that  you  would  be  alarmed, 
but  I  do  begin  to  feel  very  sick." 

"  Reginald,  will  you  ride  immediately  for 
Doctor  Halhurst,"  said  Mrs.  Hastings,  with 
more  agitation  than  she  often  betrayed. 


112  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

"Celia,  go  ask  the  cook  to  send  up  some 
warm  water,  and  a  mustard  plaster  to  your 
room,  and  then  come  up  and  help  me  put 
Mary  in  bed,  for  she  is  very  feverish,  and 
needs  instant  attention." 

As  Mrs.  Hastings  had  asked  Mary  if  she 
were  ill,  the  fact  flashed  across  her  mind  that 
the  scarlet  fever  was  now  very  prevalent  in 
Berkley,  and  that  Mary  had  accompanied  her 
a  few  days  before  to  a  house  in  which  several 
of  the  children  were  shortly  after  taken  with 
this  dangerous  disease. 

Mrs.  Hastings  was  not  foolishly  timid  with 
regard  to  any  disease,  but  she  was  a  devoted 
mother,  and  Mary  was  her  darling.  No  won 
der,  then,  that  for  a  few  minutes  she  lost  her 
usual  composure,  but  it  was  recalled  by  Hor 
ace,  whose  quick  affection  had  taken  alarm, 
who  said,  gently, 

"Don't  be  so  troubled,  mother;  Mary  has 
often  very  bad  headaches,  and  Dr.  Halhurst 
says  that,  if  properly  treated  in  the  beginning, 
he  does  not  think  the  fever  in  Berkley  of  a 
malignant  character." 


FAMILY   EDUCATION.  113 

"Have  I  the  fever,  mother?"  asked  Mary, 
in  a  frightened  tone.  "Do  you  think  I  will 
die?"  she  added,  with  solemn  earnestness. 

"I  do  not  know,  my  child,  that  you  have 
any  thing  but  a  headache ;  but  whatever  dis 
ease  may  be  sent  upon  you  will  come  from 
God,  and  He  will  give  you  strength  to  bear 
it,  and  order  all  things  aright.  I  hope  that 
if  you  can  get  into  a  perspiration  immediately, 
by  to-morrow  you  will  be  quite  well." 

So  saying,  Mrs.  Hastings  put  her  arm  round 
Mary,  and  kissing  her  fevered  brow  led  her 
to  her  room.  In  a  short  time  the  latter  was 
quietly  in  bed,  with  her  anxious  mother  seated 
at  her  side,  bathing  her  temples,  and  speaking 
words  of  consolation  and  encouragement. 


114  CONSECKATED   TALENTS. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

SICKNESS    IS    SOMETIMES    A   TALENT. 

Six  long  weeks  had  passed,  and  Mary  still 
lay  upon  a  bed  of  suffering,  and  her  devoted 
mother  still  watched  beside  her  with  the  ten 
derness  which  can  only  flow  from  maternal 
affection.  It  would  have  been  hard  to  recog 
nize  in  the  pale,  emaciated  child,  the  bright, 
blooming  girl,  who  had  gazed  with  such  com 
placency  upon  her  own  fair  face  on  the  day 
of  the  eventful  pic-nic.  The  glossy  curls  had 
been  shorn  off  so  that  her  poor  head  might 
be  blistered,  and  the  red  lips  were  now  pale 
and  parched  with  long-continued  fever.  Even 
Mrs.  Hastings  could  see  no  traces  of  her  former 
loveliness,  nor  was  there  a  single  remnant  of 
the  animation  which  made  her  manners  so 
pleasing.  There  she  lay  as  helpless  as  an 
infant,  with  scarcely  energy  enough  to  swal 
low  the  distasteful  draught  which  her  mother 


SICKNESS   IS   SOMETIMES   A  TALENT.       115 

held  to  her  lips,  and  too  feeble  to  change  the 
position  to  which  for  weeks  she  had  been  con 
fined.  As  Celia  bent  over  her,  she  thought 
she  would  give  worlds  for  one  bright  smile, 
one  happy  word  from  her  clear  voice. 

And  while  Mary's  body  was  thus  the  prey 
of  disease,  what  was  the  condition  of  her 
soul  ?  Alas !  for  those  that  dream  of  making 
peace  with  God  when  sickness  warns  them  of 
their  approaching  end.  But  happily  our  young 
friend  had  not  waited  for  the  days  when  she 
should  say,  "  There  was  no  pleasure  in  them," 
before  seeking  the  protection  of  an  Almighty 
Friend.  It  was  true  she  could  not  now  think 
clearly,  nor  even,  at  times,  make  a  single 
prayer;  but  she  could  silently  look  up  to 
God,  and  lean  on  Him,  and  acknowledge  that 
even  her  sufferings  were  from  His  hand,  and 
were  sent  in  love.  The  difference  between 
her  feelings  and  those  which  would  have  been 
experienced  by  more  thoughtless  children  was, 
that  she  knew  her  Father  in  heaven,  and  they 
would  have  then  had  to  learn  their  relation 
ship. 


116  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

There  was  once  a  little  girl  who  was  lost 
when  she  was  an  infant,  and  never  knew  any 
thing  of  her  parents  till  she  was  fifteen  years 
old.  Then  she  was  taken  very  ill,  and  while 
her  fever  was  at  its  height,  her  mother  dis 
covered  what  had  become  of  her  lost  daugh 
ter,  and  came  to  reclaim  her.  Though  thus 
nearly  related,  they  were  in  reality  strangers, 
and  in  vain  the  agonized  parent  tried  to  im 
press  upon  the  poor  invalid  that  she  was  her 
mother,  and  to  make  her  understand  how  they 
had  been  separated,  and  what  were  the  proofs 
of  this  assertion.  The  sick  girl  turned  wea 
rily  away  from  this  perplexing  theme,  and 
manifested  no  pleasure  in  the  society  of  the 
person  who  was  claiming  to  be  so  near  a  rela 
tion  ;  but  when  the  one  who  had  brought  her 
up,  and  hitherto  nursed  her  with  unfailing  ten 
derness,  entered  the  room,  and  leaned  fondly 
over  her,  a  glance  of  grateful  recognition  came 
over  the  wandering  eyes,  and  the  medicine 
proffered  from  that  well-known  hand  was  in 
stinctively  received  with  confiding  obedience. 

And  such  is  the  difference  between  renew- 


SICKNESS  IS   SOMETIMES  A  TALENT.      117 

ing  our  filial  relation  with  God  in  sickness, 
and  reposing  on  Him  whom  we  have  long 
loved  as  a  Father.  Mary  knew  that  beloved 
Friend,  and  took  from  His  hand  even  the  bit 
ter  cup  which  He  gave  her,  with  childlike 
faith.  She  had  not  strength  enough  to  think 
whether  it  were  probable  that  she  should  die, 
or  if  she  were  ready  for  the  change;  but  she 
left  it  all  in  His  hands  who  cannot  err. 

The  invalid  did  not  understand,  at  the  time, 
that  by  this  patient  submission  she  was  glo 
rifying  God,  and  that  sickness  was  a  talent 
by  which  a  work  was  to  be  accomplished, 
that  other  gifts  had  not  achieved. 

As  Celia  Rogers  saw  the  vanity  of  all 
earthly  possessions,  and  how  vainly  Reginald 
with  all  his  wealth  strove  to  find  some  way 
of  mitigating  his  cousin's  sufferings,  she  felt 
the  weakness  of  human  nature  and  the  om 
nipotence  of  the  Almighty.  How  soon  might 
she  be  reduced  to  a  bed  of  languishing,  and 
then  what  would  be  her  consolation?  She 
saw  the  soothing  effect  produced  in  the  trou 
bled  spirit  of  the  sufferer  by  the  repetition  of 


118  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

some  promise  of  Scripture,  or  the  words  of 
some  familiar  hymn,  and  she  asked  where  was 
the  charm  which  gave  them  such  power.  It 
was  good  for  Celia  to  be  confined  to  that  sick 
chamber,  for  she  there  learned  what  are  the 
things  that  are  passing  away,  and  what  are 
those  which  endure  for  ever. 

At  length  health,  joyful  health,  smiled  upon 
Mary.  As  the  spring  approached  she  was 
able  to  rise  from  her  bed  and  sit  in  a  rock 
ing-chair  by  the  window,  watching  the  willows 
grow  green  where  they  drooped  over  the 
stream,  and  listening  to  the  songs  of  the  birds 
as  they  returned  from  their  winter  wander 
ings.  And  when  she  was  weary  of  her  own 
thoughts,  Celia  would  read  some  pleasant  story 
with  a  tone  so  gentle  that  it  was  impossible 
to  hear  the  sound  of  her  voice  without  feeling 
that  her  heart  was  made  better. 

One  trial  awaited  '  Mary  on  her  recovery, 
which  her  previous  vanity  rendered  a  severe 
one,  and  this  was  the  loss  of  her  beauty.  She 
could  not  help  crying  out  when  she  first 
caught  a  glance  at  herself  as  she  walked  from 


SICKNESS  IS   SOMETIMES  A  TALENT.      119 

the  bed  to  Celia's  rocking-chair.  Her  mother 
saw  her  distress  and  knew  its  cause.  She  did 
not,  however,  say  any  thing,  and  Mary  wept 
in  silence  for  some  minutes.  This  seemed  to 
relieve  her,  and  at  last  she  asked,  in  a  very 
sad  voice, 

"Mother,  am  I  pretty  at  all  now?" 
"No,  my  dear;  you  are  quite  plain  in  ap 
pearance,"  was  the  honest  reply,  though  it  was 
spoken  in  a  voice  of  tender  sympathy.  "  God 
has  seen  fit  no  longer  to  intrust  you  with  that 
talent  which  you  threatened  to  abuse,  and 
there  is  no  doubt  that  He  has  withdrawn  it 
in  mercy.  You  must  not  be  surprised  if  you 
find  that  your  appearance  does  not  give  as 
much  pleasure  nor  win  so  many  friends  as  it 
used  to  do,  but  must  take  the  more  pains  to 
cultivate  all  that  is  agreeable  in  manners  and 
conversation.  You  have  had,  however,  an 
other  given  in  its  place.  Sickness  may  be  im 
proved  as  well  as  beauty,  and  I  hope  your 
future  life  will  show  that  you  know  its  value. 
I  am  sure  that  my  Mary,  when  she  reflects 
that  her  heavenly  Father  has^  restored  to  her 


120  CONSECRATED   TALENTS. 

life  and-  health,  will  not  indulge  in  one  re 
pining  thought  at  the  loss  of  personal  attrac 
tions." 

"  No  indeed,  mother ;  I  will  try  and  not  be 
so  ungrateful,"  was  the  reply;  "but  I  did 
look  so  very  ugly  with  my  hair  all  shaven 
off,  and  my  face  so  covered  with  spots,  that 
at  first  I  could  not  help  crying.  I  shall  bear 
looking  at  myself  better  in  future." 

Poor  Mary !  And  yet  it  was  quite  as  hard 
for  Horace  to  reconcile  himself  to  this  change 
in  his  darling  sister;  but  when  he  saw  how 
gentle  she  was,  and  how  her  whole  character 
seemed  purified  by  suffering,  he  loved  her  a 
thousand  times  more  than  before.  Judge 
Hastings,  too,  as  he  held  her  in  his  arms,  felt 
an  increase  of  tenderness,  and  for  many  months 
she  was  treated  by  all  the  family  as  if  she 
had  paid  a  visit  to  the  invisible  world,  which 
gave  her  a  peculiar  claim  to  consideration  and 
respect. 

While  the  family  had  been  thus  absorbed 
with  Mary,  Judge  Hastings  had  little  leisure 
to  inquire  into  Eeginald's  proceedings,  or  to 


SICKNESS   IS   SOMETIMES   A   TALENT.       121 

know  how  tie  succeeded  in  the  discharge  of 
his  stewardship. 

"How,  my  boy,  are  all  your  protege's?"  he 
asked  one  morning,  when  they  had  finished 
the  lessons,  all  of  which,  in  the  absence  of 
Mrs.  Hastings,  devolved  on  him. 

"Pretty  well,  sir,"  replied  Eeginald,  in 
rather  a  desponding  tone.  "I  am  afraid 
though  that  I  shall  never  learn  to  be  really 
useful." 

"Do  you  remember,  Horace,  some  lines  of 
Keble  upon  the  too  sanguine  expectation  of 
satisfaction  in  acts  of  benevolence  ?"  asked  the 
Judge,  turning  to  his  son,  who  was  bending 
over  a  Hebrew  Bible  with  deep  interest. 

Horace  looked  up  from  his  absorbing  study 
with  an  abstracted  air,  and  his  father  was 
obliged  to  repeat  the  question. 

"Excuse  me,"  he  said,  blushing  at  his  inat 
tention  ;  "I  had  almost  made  out  to  read  part 
of  a  psalm.  Do  you  mean  the  one  on — "  he 
looked  up  to  heaven,  and  sighed.  "I  believe 
the  first  verse  is, 


122  CONSECRATED   TALENTS. 

"  'The  Son  of  God,  in  doing  good, 

Was  fain  to  look  to  heaven  and  sigh  : 

And  shall  the  heirs  of  sinful  blood 
Seek  joy  unmixed  in  charity  ? 

God  will  not  let  love's  work  impart 

Full  solace,  lest  it  steal  the  heart ; 

Be  thou  content  in  tears  to  sow 

Blessings,  like  Jesus,  in  thy  woe.'  " 

"Indeed,  uncle,  I  do  not  seek  joy,  neither 
do  I  expect  gratitude,  but  I  do  want  to  know 
when  I  am  right.  Yesterday  I  found  that,  in 
trying  to  aid  a  poor  family,  I  had  encouraged 
the  father  in  habits  of  intemperance,  for,  now 
that  he  does  not  feel  restrained  by  the  neces 
sity  of  supporting  any  one,  he  gives  himself 
up  wholly  to  this  vice.  In  helping  a  boy 
last  week,  whom  I  believed  too  unwell  to 
work,  I  am  said  to  have  rewarded  indolence, 
since  he  turns  out  to  be  only  lazy,  and  not 
in  the  least  ill." 

"That  is  unfortunate,"  said  the  Judge; 
"but  do  not  be  discouraged,  my  dear  boy. 
Your  experience  is  that  of  every  philanthro 
pist,  and  must  be  while  misery  and  vice  are 
so  inseparably  connected,  that,  in  many  cases, 
you  cannot  relieve  the  one  without  encour- 


SICKNESS   IS  SOMETIMES   A  TALENT.      123 

aging  the  other.  Indeed,  want  is  so  often  the 
penalty  of  indolence,  that  it  is  a  hard  ques 
tion  how  far  it  ought  to  be  relieved.  I  be 
lieve  the  best  of  men,  however,  agree  that 
immediate  suffering  must  be  obviated,  what 
ever  its  cause;  and  the  most  melancholy  part 
of  it  is,  that  the  victims  of  vice  are  often  not 
the  persons  to  blame.  The  wife  of  the  drunk 
ard  and  the  children  of  the  wicked  share  in 
the  evils  which  they  had  no  part  in  pro 
ducing.  I  am  glad  that  this  is  your  only 
difficulty,  for  I  thought  that,  like  most  young 
people,  you  had  been  chilled  by  the  ingrati 
tude  of  those  whom  you  wished  to  benefit." 

Keginald  smiled. 

"You  are  mistaken,  uncle;  this  is  by  no 
means  my  only  difficulty.  I  am  perfectly 
surrounded  by  perplexities.  If  I  take  more 
interest  in  one  of  our  poor  neighbors  than  the 
rest,  they  are  immediately  offended,  and  seem 
to  think  nothing  of  any  favors  which  they 
have  received,  because  some  others  have  not 
been  granted,  to  which  they  imagine  that  they 
have  a  right.  As  I  was  riding  along,  last 


124  CONSECRATED   TALENTS. 

week,  I  heard  a  man  say,  '  It  was  no  great 
things  for  that  young  Campbell  to  be  giving 
a  mite  here  and  a  rnite  there,  when  his  purse 
was  running  over  with  gold.  For  his  part, 
he  never  thanked  rich  people  for  such  trifles, 
for  poor  folks  had  as  good  a  right  to  them  as 
they  had  themselves.'  I  have  met  several 
beggars  who  asked  alms  in  the  same  spirit, 
and  looked  ready  to  knock  me  down  when  I 
gave  them  a  shilling,  because  it  was  not  more." 

"  This  is  indeed  trying ;  but  yet  it  may 
keep  you  in  mind  of  the  truth  that  you  are 
only  dispensing  what  you  have  received.  The 
poor  forget  that  even  the  blessings  they  pos 
sess  are  unmerited,  and  that  they  have  not 
the  slightest  claim  on  that  which  has  been 
intrusted  to  another ;  but  still  they  think, 
rightly,  that  the  superfluity  of  the  rich  was 
meant  to  supply  their  needs.  There  must, 
however,  be  some  instances  of  a  more  gen 
erous  spirit  to  encourage  your  fainting  heart." 

"  Oh !  yes,  sir,"  replied  Reginald,  with  ani 
mation.  "Some  of  the  children  who  were 
here  at  the  pic-nic  have  improved  very  much 


SICKNESS   IS   SOMETIMES   A   TALENT.      125 

at  the  schools  to  which  Mr.  Neville  recom 
mended  me  to  send  them,  and  two  or  three 
sick  people  have  got  quite  well,  from  having 
good  medical  attendance  and  suitable  food ; 
and  one  quite  old  man  has  reformed,  from 
reading  a  book  which  I  sent  him  at  aunt 
Emily's  suggestion." 

"Bravo!  and  yet  you  fear  that  you  have 
done  no  good !  Why,  here  are  instances 
enough  to  keep  your  heart  from  fainting  for 
a  year  to  come.  And  then  think  how  the 
seed  may  be  germinating  in  foreign  lands, 
which  you  have  assisted  in  planting,  and  whose 
fruit  you  may  never  behold  till  it  is  gathered 
into  the  great  storehouse  above." 

"I  hope  so,  indeed,  uncle,"  replied  Eegi- 
nald,  very  modestly;  "I  can  get  along  with 
this  part  of  my  duty  better  than  the  rest, 
because  I  have  so  much  aid,  and  not  so  much 
use  for  my  private  judgment.  I  know  that 
the  Church  has  every  opportunity  for  ascer 
taining  what  missions  are  most  useful,  and 
that  it  is  wrong  for  any  that  she  has  planted 
to  languish  for  want  of  support.  I,  therefore, 


126  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

place  that  portion  of  my  income  which  I  have 
decided  to  devote  to  missions,  entirely  at  the 
disposal  of  the  excellent  men  who  spend  so 
much  time,  and  thought,  and  prayer,  in  the 
promotion  of  this  good  work.  I  am  afraid 
that  if  I  allowed  myself  to  single  out  any  one 
mission,  I  should  be  guided  by  feeling,  and 
be  induced,  by  an  eloquent  report,  to  ex 
pend  on  some  more  favored  missionary  that 
which  ought  to  cheer  the  spirits  of  one  less 
gifted  by  nature." 

"Courage,  my  boy,"  exclaimed  the  Judge, 
delighted  to  see  with  what  conscientious  in 
terest  his  young  ward  studied  his  duty.  "At 
your  age,  you  could  not  have  pursued  a  wiser 
course;  but  you  must  be  careful  that  while 
the  Church  acts  for  you,  she  does  not  feel  for 
you.  You  have  neither  given  up  your  duty 
nor  your  interest  in  the  matter,  by  placing  it 
in  such  able  hands.  You  must  read  with  the 
greatest  care  all  the  reports  of  missionary 
labor,  that  you  may  know  for  what  blessings 
it  is  our  duty  to  pray.  The  possession  of 
wealth  does  not  liberate  you  from  the  em- 


SICKNESS   IS   SOMETIMES   A   TALENT.       127 

ployment  of  that  other  great  instrument  of 
usefulness,  which  every  Christian  is  bound  to 
use  unceasingly,  in  the  missionary  cause.  I 
mean  prayer.  He  little  appreciates  his  means 
of  usefulness  who  sets  the  humble  instrumen 
tality  of  wealth  above  that  which — reverently 
be  it  spoken — can  put  in  motion  Omnipotence 
itself. " 

Horace  sighed  while  his  father  spoke,  for 
he  felt  conscious  that  he  had  considered  him- 
§elf  almost  powerless  while  he  could  wield  an 
engine  of  such  resistless  force.  He  silently 
resolved  the  less  he  had  to  give  to  benevolent 
objects,  the  more  fervently  to  pray  that  the 
offerings  of  others  might  be  blessed.  He  had 
not  yet  learned  to  appreciate  his  own  endow 
ments,  or  he  would  not  have  been  tempted 
to  envy  Eeginald,  since  he  possessed  so  large 
a  share  of  that  talent  to  which  all  others  are, 
in  measure,  subservient — Intellect. 


128  CONSECKATED   TALENTS. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


IT  was  the  lovely  month  of  May,  and  the 
scenery  around  Beulah  was  more  beautiful  than 
ever,  the  whole  face  of  nature  being  clothed 
with  the  rich  verdure  of  spring. 

Mary  had  been  for  some  time  able  to  ride 
out  and  enjoy  the  fresh  air,  which  never 
seemed  to  her  more  delightful  than  now.  She 
almost  felt  glad  that  she  had  been  so  ill,  for 
returning  health  had  given  a  relish  to  pleas 
ures  which  before  she  had  scarcely  appre 
ciated.  And  now  she  was  to  go  once  more 
to  church,  and  return  thanks  for  the  mercy 
which  had  preserved  her  from  death. 

When  Mary  entered  the  church,  it  seemed 
as  if  she  had  never  realized  before  that  it  was' 
the  house  of  God.  She  thought  of  heathen 
temples,  in  which  there  were  some  visible 
idols,  of  dwelling-places  where  friends  were 


129 

ready  in  person  to  welcome  her,  or  of  a  place 
of  worship  where  pictures  and  images  repre 
sented  the  indwelling  Spirit.  But  here  was 
an  assembly  of  people  gathered  together  be 
neath  one  roof,  not  to  converse  with  each 
other,  but  to  hold  communion  with  some 
Great  Being,  who  was  believed  to  be  really 
present  in  their  very  midst. 

Overwhelmed  with  the  thought,  that  she 
had  come  in  the  immediate  presence  of  that 
Creator  in  whose  hands  are  the  issues  of  life 
and  death,  Mary  bowed  her  head  in  reverence 
and  adoration.  The  little  petition  which  from 
her  childhood  she  had  said  on  coming  into 
church,  though  never  before  thoughtlessly 
spoken,  was  now  uttered  with  deep  awe.  As 
a  touching  voluntary  on  the  organ  com 
menced  the  services,  she  felt  so  overcome 
with  grateful  emotion  that  her  eyes  filled 
with  tears,  and  she  could  hardly  help  sobbing 
aloud.  It  was  a  relief  to  join  in  the  Confes 
sion  of  sins,  for  to  realize  the  presence  of  our 
Maker  is  to  feel  our  own  un worthiness  and 
need  of  pardon.  And  when  the  words  of 


130  CONSECRATED   TALENTS. 

Absolution  were  spoken,  promising  all  forgive 
ness  who  asked  it  in  Christ's  name,  and  that 
prayer  was  uttered  which  must  be  heard  by 
Him  who  gave  it  to  His  disciples,  a  calm 
peace  succeeded  to  this  tumultuous  emotion. 

Then  came  the  joyful  Psalter,  and  on  that 
day  the  Psalm  was  read  in  which  was  the 
appropriate  exclamation :  "I  will  offer  to  Thee 
the  sacrifice  of  thanksgiving,  and  will  call 
upon  the  name  of  the  Lord.  I  will  pay  my 
vows  unto  the  Lord,  in  the  sight  of  all  His 
people,  in  the  courts  of  the  Lord's  house; 
even  in  the  midst  of  thee,  0  Jerusalem!'' 
And  what  Psalm  does  not  contain  expres 
sions  suitable  to  the  pouring  out  of  a  pious 
and  thoughtful  heart? 

Celia  was  so  delighted  at  seeing  her  friend 
once  more  at  her  side  in  church,  that  invol 
untarily  she  joined  in  the  anthem  of  praise 
that  followed  the  reading  of  the  Psalter. 
Mary  almost  started  as  she  heard  Celia's  fine 
voice  adding  to  the  melody,  and  as  she 
looked  in  her  face  to  see  what  it  could  mean, 
she  was  struck  with  its  altered  devotional 


MAKY'S  HAPPY  SUNDAY.  131 

expression.  They  had  had  little  time  for 
religious  conversation  since  her  recovery,  and 
Celia  was  always  averse  to  talking  of  her  own 
deeper  feelings.  Indeed,  she  carried  her  re 
serve  so  far,  that  she  often  veiled  them  with 
an  appearance  of  levity,  talking  lightly  when 
she  felt  so  seriously.  She  had  never  forgotten 
Mary's  remarks  with  regard  to  her  music, 
and  often  wondered  since  why  religious  peo 
ple  seemed  to  think  so  little  of  the  duty  of 
joining  in  this  part  of  public  worship. 

After  returning  from  church,  Mary  said  to 
Celia, 

"Why!  you  sing  in  church  now;  I  am  so 
glad  of  it,  for  there  are  so  few  people  in  the 
congregation  that  care  any  thing  about  music. 
It  would  be  nice  if  you  would  take  a  Sun 
day-school  class,  for  there  is  never  any  body 
there  to  set  the  tune,  and  it  would  help  the 
children  so  much  if  they  could  learn  a  few 
hymns  that  we  hear  often  in  the  service." 

"There  are  limits  to  all  things,  Mary," 
said  Celia,  with  a  half-pleased,  half-provoked 
air;  "I  sang  to-day,  in  church,  because  I 


132  CONSECRATED   TALENTS. 

could  not  help  it,  but  it  does  not  follow  that 
I  must  needs  keep  a  singing-school  for  all  the 
urchins  in  the  parish." 

"No,  it  does  not  follow,  necessarily,"  re 
plied  Mary,  with  great  meekness,  "but  it  will 
follow,  I  am  almost  sure,  when  you  think 
about  it.  Mr.  Leonard  came  here,  -last  week, 
to  know  if  Eeginald  or  Horace  would  not 
take  a  class;  and  he  asked  if  you  had 
been  confirmed,  and  if  you  would  have  any 
objection  to  teaching  three  or  four  little  ones. 
Mother  said  she  thought  both  the  boys  and 
yourself  too  young  to  begin  teaching  others; 
but  Mr.  Leonard  reasoned  with  her  a  great 
while,  to  prove  that  your  youth  was  no  ob 
jection,  if  you  were  only  better  instructed  than 
your  scholars,  and  were  earnest  in  your  de 
sire  to  benefit  them." 

"I  think  Mrs.  Hastings  might  have  left  me 
to  decide  this  matter  for  myself,"  said  Celia, 
proudly;  "mamma  always  let  me  have  the 
direction  of  my  own  affairs,  and  I  do  not 
see  why  I  am  never  consulted  now." 

"But  you  were   not   at  home,  Celia,"  said 


MARY'S  HAPPY  SUNDAY.  133 

Mary,  soothingly,  "and  mother  did  tell  Mr. 
Leonard  that  you  should  judge  for  yourself 
in  the  matter,  but  she  wished  to  have  a  long 
conversation  with  you  previous  to  asking  the 
question,  and  she  has  not  had  time  for  this 
since  his  visit." 

"Pray,  what  did  she  want  to  talk  to  me 
about?"  asked  Celia,  in  the  same  haughty 
tone. 

"I  do  not  know,"  said  Mary;  adding,  after 
a  pause,  "at  least  I  am  not  sure." 

"But  what  do  you  think?"  inquired  Celia, 
impatiently. 

"I  had  rather  not  tell  you  now,"  was 
Mary's  decided  answer;  and  she  immediately 
left  the  room,  to  avoid  all  further  conversation. 

Celia  laid  aside  her  hat  and  shawl,  and  then 
threw  herself  in  her  rocking-chair,  taking  up 
her  Bible,  as  was  her  wont  at  this  hour  on 
Sunday  morning,  and  turning  it  over  without 
being  hardly  conscious  of  what  she  was  doing. 
She  had  continued  thus  musing  for  nearly 
half  an  hour  when  the  door  was  opened  by 
Mary,  who  only  thrust  her  head  in,  saying, 


134  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

"Here  is  a  note  for  you,  Cclia,"  and  ran 
down  stairs  without  another  word. 

Celia  took  up  the  little  billet-doux,  which 
Mary  had  dropped  on  the  floor,  and  saw  with 
surprise  that  it  was  in  the  handwriting  of 
the  latter.  She  hastily  tore  it  open,  and  read 
with  varying  emotions  the  following  words: 

"My  own  dear,  nice,  kind  Celia,  why  will 
you  be  so  ashamed  of  doing  right?  You 
always  blush  more  when  found  feeling  as  you 
ought  to  do  than  if  you  had  very  naughty 
thoughts.  The  reason  I  could  not  tell  you 
what  mamma  wanted  to  talk  about,  was  be 
cause  I  saw  you  were  half  provoked  at  me  for 
noticing  that  you  sang  in  church,  and  I  was 
afraid  that  you  would  say  something  that  you 
would  afterwards  be  sorry  for.  I  hope  you 
will  think  kindly  of  what  I  say. 

"When  Mr.  Leonard  asked  mother  if  you 
had  been  confirmed,  she  said,  'No.'  And  then 
he  asked  how  old  you  were,  and  mother  said, 
'Just  sixteen.'  He  next  inquired  if  mother 
thought  you  ever  considered  your  duty  in  this 


MARY'S  HAPPY  SUNDAY.  135 

respect,  and  she  told  him  that  she  had  seen 
a  great  change  in  you  lately,  and  she  could  not 
but  hope  that  you  were  trying  to  fulfil  your 
baptismal  vows.  He  then  said  there  was  to 
be  a  Confirmation  in  July,  and  mother  deter 
mined  to  talk  to  you  about  it.  She  would 
not  have  had  this  conversation  about  you 
before  me,  but  I  had  returned  from  my  ride 
very  tired,  and  as  I  was  lying  on  the  sofa 
she  did  not  like  to  disturb  me.  You'll  for 
give  me  for  listening,  for  I  do  love  you  so 
dearly,  and  am  very  anxious  to  know  whether 
you  are  not  willing  to  be  confirmed. 

"While  I  was  sick,  I  thought  so  often  that 
I  should  be  happier  if  I  had  only  openly  ac 
knowledged  our  Saviour  before  men,  and  now 
I  do  so  wish  I  was  old  enough'  to  be  con 
firmed  in  July;  but  mother  says  that  as  I  am 
not  yet  fourteen,  I  had  better  wait  another 
year.  I  am  to  try,  though,  and  act  just  as 
if  I  had  been,  for  you  know,  whether  we 
acknowledge  it  or  not,  we  are  just  as  much 
bound  to  do  it. 

"I   am  not  preaching  to  you,   dear  Celia, 


136  CONSECKATED   TALENTS. 

though  I  think  you  are  beginning  to  look 
proud.  I  am  only  saying  just  what's  in  a 
heart  that  is  very  full  of  love  for  you.  I 
have  never  been  able  to  thank  you  for  all 
your  care  of  me  while  I  was  sick,  for  I  felt 
something  in  my  throat  that  almost  choked 
me  whenever  I  began  to  say  any  thing  about 
it.  But  as  I  lay  there,  watching  you  while 
you  would  go  about  putting  every  thing  in 
the  very  place  where  I  liked  to  see  it,  and 
arranging  the  grapes  and  oranges  Eeginald 
bought  for  me,  so  as  to  make  them  tempting, 
I  wondered  how  I  could  ever  repay  your 
kindness.  Then  I  thought  that  if  I  was 
weak  myself,  I  had  a  very  powerful  Father, 
who  was  able  to  give  you  all  that  was  ne 
cessary  for  happiness,  and  so  I  prayed  that 
He  would  send  His  Spirit  to  make  you  His 
own  child.  To-day,  when  I  saw  your  face 
had  changed,  I  felt  a  sudden  hope  that  God 
had  answered  my  poor  prayers,  and,  oh !  it 
made  me  so  happy. 

"And  now  tell   me,    my   dear,   dear   Celia, 
if  you  won't  be  confirmed !     Don't  be  ashamed 


PAGE    137. 


MARY'S  HAPPY  SUNDAY.  137 

of  loving  Christ;  remember  how  He  has  said, 
that  those  who  honor  Him  He  will  honor. 
You  need  not  say  a  word  about  it  to  me 
when  I  come  in,  for  I  know  you  hate  to 
talk  about  any  thing  that  is  very  near  your 
heart,  but  only  just  kiss  me,  and  call  me 
'  Mary  dear,'  as  you  do  when  you  are  pleased, 
and  I  shall  feel  sure  that  you  are  not  of 
fended  with 

"Your  loving  friend, 

"MARY." 

A  few  moments  after  the  perusal  of  this 
note  there  was  a  light  step  on  the  stairs,  and 
then  Mary  glided  into  the  room,  and,  putting 
her  arms  around  Celia's  neck,  said,  caressingly, 
"You  are  not  angry  with  me,  are  you,  darling?" 

"Angry!  no,  indeed!"  was  the  reply,  as 
Celia  kissed  the  sweet  lips  that  were  raised 
to  hers,  and  then  bending  her  head  over 
Mary,  to  conceal  the  tears  that  were  fast  fall 
ing  from  her  dark  eyes,  she  whispered,  "dear 
Mary,  I  will  think  about  it,  and  by  and  by 
I  will  tell  you  all  that  I  feel." 


138  CONSECKATED  TALENTS. 

And  what  was  there  in  that  little  note 
which  had  so  completely  subdued  her  proud 
heart?  The  words  were  simple,  but  there 
was  something  so  earnest  and  affectionate  in 
its  tone  that  it  touched  all  her  better  feelings. 
And  thus  it  was  often  the  case,  that  Mary's 
frank  simplicity  achieved  that  for  which  others 
might  labor  in  vain.  Providence  had  given 
her  quick  tact  and  a  pleasing  manner,  which 
made  her  a  universal  favorite  even  after  she 
had  lost  the  charm  of  beauty,  and  thus  she 
was  often  able  to  bring  others  into  those 
paths  which  to  her  were  ever  full  of  peace. 

A  few  days  after  this  conversation  Mrs. 
Hastings  announced  to  the  young  people  that 
she  had  a  most  unexpected  pleasure  in  store 
for  them.  "The  sweet  wife  of  our  pastor, 
Mrs.  Leonard,"  she  said,  "called  yesterday 
to  see  me,  and  begged  that  I  would  bring  all 
the  family  to  pass  a  day  at  the  rectory.  I 
proposed  to  take  part  of  you  on  this  occasion, 
and  leave  the  rest  to  share  another  visit,  but 
to  this  she  would  not  consent,  declaring  that 
there  was  nothing  she  liked  better  than  to 


MARY'S  HAPPY  SUNDAY.  139 

see  her  table  surrounded  with  bright  young 
faces,  and  that  she  would,  on  no  account,  hear 
of  my  leaving  her  young  friends,  Eeginald 
and  Horace,  at  home." 

"Oh!  delightful,"  exclaimed  Mary;  "won't 
it  be  nice,  Celia?" 

"Yes,  very,"  said  Celia,  in  an  absent  tone 
of  voice,  for  she  was  thinking  of  the  probable 
chances  of  being  addressed  by  Mr.  Leonard, 
on  the  subject  of  Confirmation.  If  there  was 
any  thing  she  dreaded,  it  was  to  be  talked  to 
by  a  stranger  upon  such  subjects. 

Mary,  however,  was  too  full  of  delight  to 
notice  her  cold  reply,  and  went  on  asking, 
eagerly,  "When  are  we  to  go,  mother?  what 
day  was  named?" 

"Thursday,  my  dear,  as  your  father  cannot 
give  the  boys  their  lessons  in  mathematics 
that  morning,  so  they  will  have  more  time 
for  their  other  studies.  We  are  to  go  in  the 
carriage,  about  eleven  o'clock,  and  they  are 
to  follow  on  horseback,  with  your  father, 
about  half-past  one,  so  as  to  arrive  in  time 
for  dinner." 


140  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

"That  is  better  yet,"  said  Horace.  "I 
like  what  I  have  seen  of  Mrs.  Leonard,  but 
it  is  rather  dull  for  us  boys  to  go  out  to 
spend  the  whole  day.  Ladies  have  their 
work,  but  I  always  feel  so  foolish  hanging 
round  a  parlor  in  the  morning,  with  nothing 
to  do." 

"You  had  better  carry  a  stick  to  whittle,'7 
remarked  Celia,  mischievously;  "or  you  might 
take  a  paper-folder,  and  one  of  those  huge 
documents  of  your  father's,  the  leaves  of  which 
he  wants  cut  by  some  of  us  this  week." 

"Thank  you,"  said  Horace,  in  the  same 
playful  tone;  "you  might,  perhaps,  employ 
me  in  holding  a  skein  of  silk,  if  you  had  got 
through  the  last  one  that  was  wound ;  or,  if 
Mrs.  Leonard  was  a  notable  knitter,  there 
might  be  those  huge  knots  of  yarn  to  stretch 
my  arms  a  little,  and  keep  my  hands  out  of 
mischief." 

"But,  Horace,"  said  Mary,  very  soberly, 
"you  are  not  really  in  earnest  in  fearing  a 
dull  visit  at  the  rectory?  I  thought  you 
liked  to  go  out  with  mamma!" 


MARY'S  HAPPY  SUNDAY.  141 

"And  so  I  do,  and  with  you  too,  my  dear 
little  sister,  but  one  may  sometimes  feel  very 
awkward  with  very  pleasant  people.  I  was 
only  expressing  my  satisfaction  with  the  very 
sensible  arrangement  which  relieves  me  from 
all  fear  of  stupidity." 

"I  do  not  think  you  would  have  any  thing 
of  that  kind  to  dread,"  interposed  Mrs.  Hast 
ings,  "if  you  went  to  breakfast.  I  have  re 
gretted,  ever  since  Mr.  Leonard  took  charge 
of  the  parish,  that  circumstances  had  prevented 
us  from  becoming  better  acquainted  with  his 
family.  Mary  was  just  taken  sick  when  they 
arrived  at  Berkley,  and  since  that  time  I 
have  been  so  occupied  that  I  have  had  no 
opportunity  for  cultivating  an  intimacy  which 
I  am  sure  would  be  productive  of  good  to 
you  all."  , 

"Mother,  has  Mrs.  Leonard  any  children 
besides  those  little  girls  that  sit  in  their  pew 
every  Sunday?" 

"She  has  one  dear  little  baby,  I  am  told, 
but  I  have  never  seen  it  during  the  short 
calls  that  I  have  been  able  to  pay  at  the 


142  CONSECRATED   TALENTS. 

rectory.  But  it  is  time  for  our  lessons,  so  try- 
now  and  fix  all  your  thoughts  upon  them, 
and  then  you  may  learn  one  or  two  to  make 
up  for  your  absence  to-morrow." 

Judge  Hastings  entered  at  this  moment,  and 
•commenced  an  examination  in  history,  as  was 
his  custom  occasionally,  that  he  might  know 
exactly  what  progress  they  were  all  making 
under  the  faithful  instructions  of  his  intelli 
gent  lady. 


BERKLEY   PARSONAGE.  143 


CHAPTER  X. 

BERKLEY     PARSONAGE. 

THE  carriage  had  hardly  stopped  at  the 
gate  of  the  parsonage  when  its  hospitable 
door  was  thrown  open,  and  Mrs.  Leonard  ap 
peared  to  welcome  her  guests. 

"How  much  better  she  looks  without  a 
hat,"  whispered  Mary  to  Celia  while  her 
mother  was  alighting,  assisted  by  the  cour 
teous  rector  himself. 

Mrs.  Leonard  was,  indeed,  a  most  attractive- 
looking  person,  and  the  affections  of  all  young 
people  were  at  once  enlisted  in  her  favor. 
Though  she  was  commanding  in  size,  there  was 
nothing  in  her  appearance  to  create  awe,  for 
her  dark  eyes  were  bright  with  intellect  and 
feeling,  and  her  sunny  smile  reached  the  in 
most  recesses  of  every  heart.  Every  child  that 
she  met  in  the  street  went  on  its  way  cheered 
by  her  cordial  greeting,  and  the  sick  and  the 


144  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

afflicted  longed  for  her  visits,  as  for  the  dawn 
of  day.  A  life  of  prosperity  had  not  hardened 
her  heart,  but,  on  the  contrary,  she  seemed 
to  feel  that  it  was  her  especial  duty  to  relieve 
those  sufferings  which  in  mercy  she  had  been 
spared,  and  to  diffuse  the  happiness  that  often 
had  its  source  in  her  bright,  elastic  tempera 
ment,  as  well  as  the  manifold  blessings  which 
had  fallen  to  her  lot. 

"Oh,  what  a  charming  little  library  1"  ex 
claimed  Mary,  as  she  examined  the  contents 
of  a  little  book-case  which  stood  in  the  corner 
of  the  pleasant  parlor,  while  Mrs.  Hastings 
paid  a  visit  to  the  nursery.  "I  declare  I 
should  like  to  read  every  one  of  those  books ; 
and  only  look — here  is  the  very  collection  of 
poetry  father  said  he  would  order  from  En 
gland  for  us." 

"  These  are  quite  readable  books,"  remarked 
Celia,  as  her  eyes  ran  over  the  various  titles; 
"but  it  seems  to  me  they  must  have  been  at 
an  auction,  for  there  is  not  a  single  set  which 
is  not  broken.  They  must  have  been  bought 
at  an  auction,  and  that  accounts  for  being 


BERKLEY    PARSONAGE.  145 

such  a  variety ;  for  poor  clergymen  don't  gen 
erally  treat  themselves  to  so  much  miscella 
neous  reading." 

"Oh  fie,  Celia!  What  a  funny  way  you 
have  of  talking!  as  if  Mr.  Leonard  had  no 
more  sense  than  to  go  and  bid  off  odd  volumes 
at  auction.  Besides,  he  is  not  a  poor  clergy 
man,  though  he  would  be  worthy  of  as  much 
honor  if  he  were,  for  it  would  only  be  the 
fault  of  the  people  he  preached  to,  and  not 
his  own.  I  heard  father  telling  mother  that 
Mr.  Leonard  had  property  of  his  own,  with 
which  he  did  a  great  deal  of  good." 

"Yes,  to  himself,  no  doubt,"  said  Celia, 
laughing,  "in  buying  this  nice  library,  for 
instance." 

"What  selfish  people  you  must  have  asso 
ciated  with  when  you  were  little !"  remarked 
Mary,  who  could  not  bear  the  slightest  hint 
that  any  clergyman  was  not  all  he  should 
be.  "I  know  why  Mr.  Leonard  bought  such 
nice  books,  and  why  there  are  so  many  odd 
volumes.  Didn't  you  see  a  little  pale  boy 
come  up  the  step  just  as  we  were  entering 


146  CONSECRATED   TALENTS. 

with  a  large  pile  of  books  in  his  hand?  I 
heard  Mrs.  Leonard  say  to  him  as  we  were 
laying  off  our  things  in  the  hall,  'Have  you 
read  them  all  through,  Charlie?  Well,  you 
must  have  a  great  appetite  for  reading.  Eun 
in  the  parlor  and  choose  some  more  for  your 
self,  and  one  or  two  for  your  sister,  and  come 
again  when  you  want  some  more.  By  the 
time  you  have  got  through  what  we  have 
now,  there  will  be  a  new  supply.' 

"And  then  I  saw  her  slip  a  gold  dollar 
into  his  hand,  and  say,  'Stop  at  the  store, * 
Charlie,  and  choose  a  nice  little  blanket-shawl 
for  Molly  to  wear  to  church.  I  meant  to 
have  done  it  myself;  but  I  have  company 
to-day,  and  cannot  go  out.' " 

"What  dreadful  eyes  and  ears  you  have 
got,  Mary  !"  said  Celia,  playfully.  "  I  declare 
when  I  have  a  house  I  shall  not  let  such  a 
little  spy  as  you  are  come  within  the  door." 

"But  you  know,"  said  Mary,  blushing,  "that 
I  only  tell  the  good  I  see,  and  I  do  not  even 
mention  that,  excepting  where  I  can  do  jus 
tice  to  some  body  that  is  not  appreciated." 


BERKLEY   PARSONAGE.  147 

"  Yes,  or  persuade  me  that  these  books 
were  not  bought  at  auction,  which  you  were 
a  little  simpleton  to  think  I  really  believed. 
You  are  an  innocent  little  darling." 

Mary  was  right  in  believing  that  the  library 
at  the  parsonage,  like  all  its  other  luxuries, 
was  bought  as  a  means  of  usefulness.  There 
was  not  a  Sunday-school  scholar,  nor  a  sick 
old  woman  in  the  parish,  who  were  not  in  the 
habit  of  sending  thither  whenever  they  wanted 
a  book,  and  there  were  many  of  the  thought 
less  parishioners  whose  hearts  were  reached 
by  means  of  works  which  conveyed  through 
pleasing  incidents  the  truths  to  which  they 
would  not  have  listened  in  any  other  form. 

"This  is  the  only  daughter  I  have  at  home," 
said  Mrs.  Leonard,  as  she  entered  with  her 
baby  in  her  arms.  "Let  me  introduce  you 
to  Miss  Lizzie  Leonard.  She  must  do  the 
honors  of  the  house  till  her  sister's  return 
from  school.  She  can  only  say  two  words, 
4 pretty'  and  'good,'  but  by  putting  these  in 
right  you  may  get  up  a  conversation." 

"Dear  little   thing!"   cried  Mary,  who  was 


148  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

devoted  to  babies,  as  she  ran  to  kiss  the 
black-eyed  little  girl,  who  was  laughing  and 
crowing  in  all  the  delight  of  infancy.  "Are 
you  not  the  dearest,  sweetest  little  baby  that 
ever  was  ?" 

"Goody,"  lisped  out  little  Lizzie,  with  a 
great  deal  of  fuss  and  delight  at  her  own 
achievement. 

"She  wants  to  tell  you,  Mary,"  said  Mrs. 
Leonard  pleasantly,  "that  she  considers  her 
self  as  good  as  she  is  pretty.  It  is  very  true 
that  we  cannot  say  much  for  her  humility." 

"I  am  afraid  Celia  don't  take  much  to  ba 
bies,  so  I  must  get  the  piano  to  talk  to  her. 
I  never  liked  them  myself  when  I  was  young. 
Will  you  play  a  little  for  me,  dear?  There 
are  some  of  Helen's  pieces,  which  are  quite 
simple,  for,  you  know,  she  is  only  a  beginner; 
but  I  should  like  to  hear  how  they  ought  to 
be  played." 

Celia  sometimes  made  a  fuss  before  she 
would  condescend  to  exert  her  musical  talent, 
but  she  had  seen  enough  to  know  that  a  lady 
of  such  frank,  unpretending  manners  would 


BEKKLEY  PARSONAGE.  149 

despise  all  affectation;  so  she  seated  herself 
at  the  piano  at  once,  and  played  Helen's 
pieces  one  after  the  other  in  the  most  masterly 
manner. 

"Is  it  possible  that  you  can  play  so  well? 
I  had  no  idea  of  it.  There  has  a  famous  plan 
come  into  my  head,  which  I  will  tell  you.  if 
you  will  excuse  me  a  few  moments."  So 
saying,  she  ran  and  knocked  at  her  husband's 
study  door,  eager,  it  was  evident,  to  impart 
to  him  her  new  idea. 

That  dear  study !  To  how  many  such  com 
munications  had  it  listened,  and  to  what  gen 
erous,  self-sacrificing  plans  for  the  good  of 
others  and  the  diffusion  of  happiness !  Many 
a  little  plot  had  there  been  laid  for  accom 
plishing  some  benevolent  end;  and  if  Mrs. 
Leonard  were  the  most  conspicuous  in  carry 
ing  them  out,  it  was  to  the  calmer  judgment 
of  the  rector  that  they  owed  much  of  their 
success. 

"Now,  Miss  Celia,  I  am  going  to  make  a 
direct  attack  upon  you,"  said  Mrs.  Leonard, 
in  a  very  animated  tone ;  u  so  prepare  to 


150  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

defend  yourself,  or  rather  to  surrender  at  dis 
cretion.  We  are  in  want  of  an  organist,  and 
can  procure  no  one  for  the  salary  that  the 
church  is  able  to  give  that  can  perform  half 
as  well  as  yourself.  I  am  educating  my  little 
Helen  for  the  place,  but  she  is  only  nine 
years  old,  and  will  not  be  able  for  s0me  time 
to  master  such  an  instrument.  Now,  won't 
you  have  pity  upon  our  poor  organ  and  draw 
some  good  music  out  of  it?  I  declare  no 
body  has  ever  played  on  it,  since  we  have 
been  here,  well  enough  to  draw  out  half  of 
its  power." 

Mrs.  Leonard  had  hit  upon  just  the  right 
way  to  manage  Celia,  for  if  any  body  wanted 
her  to  do  any  thing,  they  must  come  right 
out  with  it,  for  the  least  attempt  at  insinua 
tion  set  her  directly  in  the  opposition. 

"I  would  like  to  oblige  you,"  she  replied 
with  uncommon  politeness ;  "  but  I  know  no 
thing  of  the  organ,  and  my  teacher  does  not 
give  me  lessons  at  present." 

"But  practice  is  all  that  you  need,  and 
Helen's  music-master  would  go  over  to  the 


BERKLEY  PARSONAGE.  151 

church  with  you  any  day,  and  tell  you  about 
the  stops  and  pedals,"  persisted  Mrs.  Leonard. 
"  Come,  it  is  only  twelve  now,  and  the  Judge 
will  not  be  here  for  an  hour.  What  do  you 
say,  Mrs.  Hastings,  to  going  over  to  the 
church  right  off,  to  try  what  can  be  done  ?" 

Mrs.  Leonard  saw  that  Celia  must  be  taken 
by  storm  while  she  was  in  a  compliant  mood, 
and  had  discernment  enough  to  perceive  that 
she  would  never  give  up  any  thing  that  she 
had  thus  undertaken,  however  much  she  might 
afterwards  regret  her  hasty  acquiescence  in  a 
proposed  arrangement. 

The  church  key  was  obtained  from  the 
study,  and  Mrs.  Leonard  led  the  guests  through 
the  beautiful  grounds  of  the  parsonage  to  the 
little  gate  which  separated  them  from  the 
church.  Mrs.  Hastings  paused  to  admire  the 
beautiful  roses  and  luxuriant  vines,  which  in 
one  season  had  grown  so  rapidly,  and  the  ex 
treme  neatness  of  the  little  grass  borders  sur 
rounding  the  flower-beds,  which  were  clipped 
every  morning  by  the  active  lady  of  the 
mansion's  own  hands,  when  she  went  out  to 


152  CONSECRATED   TALENTS. 

gather  the  bouquets  that  ornamented  her  taste 
ful  dwelling. 

As  the  party  entered  the  church-yard  they 
stepped  more  lightly,  and  their  animated  man 
ner  changed  insensibly  to  one  more  befitting 
a  place  set  apart  to  such  holy  uses.  The 
massive  church  door  was  unlocked  in  silence, 
and  not  a  word  was  spoken  as,  passing 
through  the  body  of  the  building,  they  ascend 
ed  the  stairs  leading  to  the  organ. 

Almost  in  a  whisper  Mrs.  Leonard  un 
locked  the -fine  instrument,  and  then  placed 
herself  behind  it  to  blow  the  bellows,  while 
Celia  looked  over  the  music-book  for  some 
tune  with  which  she  was  acquainted  and  to 
read  the  directions  for  managing  the  stops. 
As  her  fingers  fell  accidentally  on  the  keys, 
a  deep  sound  reverberated  through  the  empty 
church,  and  a  strange  solemnity  seized  her 
excitable  mind. 

From  the  inanimate  instrument  before  her 
she  was  to  draw  forth  sounds  of  praise  to 
Him  who  had  gifted  man  with  the  skill  to 
elicit  from  created  matter  a  voice  of  melody. 


BERKLEY   PARSONAGE.  153 

What  was  music?  Again  her  fingers  ran 
over  the  chords,  as  if  to  ascertain  whence  pro 
ceeded  that  strange  sound,  and  again  -.she 
almost  shuddered  as  the  clear,  full  notes 
swelled  on  the  air.  There  was  adoration  in 
the  very  tones,  and  she  felt  that  such  an 
instrument  should  only  be  devoted  to  the 
holiest  of  purposes. 

Was  there  no  lesson  to  be  learned  from  this 
conviction?  Her  own  deep,  powerful  voice 
could  not  only  utter  sounds  of  melodv,  but 
words  of  praise ;  and  yet  how  frivolously  had 
it  hitherto  been  employed!  Celia  turned  to 
the  Te  Deum,  and  with  a  reverend  awe, 
which  she  had  never  before  experienced,  sang 
the  opening  words :  "  We  praise  Thee,  0  God ; 
we  acknowledge  Thee  to  be  the  Lord.  All 
the  earth  doth  worship  Thee,  the  Father  ever 
lasting." 

Yes,  she  would  consecrate  her  musical  talent 
henceforth  to  the  praise  of  God;  and,  more 
than  this,  she  would  publicly  devote  herself 
to  His  service.  She  did  not  now  fear  that 
Mr.  Leonard  would  ask  her  about  Confirma- 


154  CONSECKATED  TALENTS. 

tion;  but,  on  the  contrary,  determined  to  so 
licit  an  interview  with  him  herself  that  very 
day,  and  ask  how  she  could  best  prepare  her 
self  for  receiving  that  holy  rite. 

To  any.  one  unacquainted  with  the  power 
of  music,  this  may  seem  strange;  but  Celia 
had  been,  from  her  birth,  most  peculiarly  sus 
ceptible  to  its  influence.  She  was,  moreover, 
on  this  particular  day,  peculiarly  alive  to  all 
good  impressions,  and  there  was  something 
in  the  whole  air  of  the  parsonage  which  had 
made  her  insensibly  feel  that  its  inmates  were 
all  consecrated  to  their  Maker. 

Mrs.  Hastings,  who  had  remained  with  Mary 
in  the  room  adjoining  the  organ  while  Celia 
was  making  these  experiments,  saw  by  the 
countenance  of  her  young  friend  that  pow 
erful  emotions  were  at  work  in  her  soul.  She 
put  her  arm  kindly  within  her  own  as  they 
went  out  of  the  church  door  and  walked 
silently  back  to  the  parsonage.  She  then  en 
gaged  Mrs.  Leonard  in  conversation  while 
Mary  amused  herself  with  the  baby,  and  thus 
left  her  alone  to  pursue  a  train  of  reflections 


BERKLEY  PARSONAGE.  155 

which,  she  was  convinced,  were  of  a  profita 
ble  nature. 

Celia  quietly  withdrew  to  a  window  where 
she  stood  looking  towards  the  church,  in 
wardly  praying  that  she  might  have  strength 
to  carry  out  the  resolution  which  had  there 
been  formed. 

Judge  Hastings  arrived  just  before  the  din 
ner-bell  rang,  apologizing  for  his  tardiness  on 
account  of  an  unexpected  engagement.  Mr. 
Leonard  was  struck  with  the  fine,  intelligent 
countenances  of  the  two  boys,  and  equally  so 
with  their  manly  bearing.  It  is  a  ridiculous 
idea  that  refinement  and  principle  are  apt  to 
make  boys  effeminate,  for  nothing  is  so  well 
calculated  to  give  them  that  independence  of 
thought  and  action  which  always  stamps  itself 
upon  their  whole  manner  and  appearance. 

Horace  and  Reginald  were  not,  at  first,  as 
much  pleased  with  their  quiet,  reserved  host 
as  with  his  more  affable  wife.  It  is  true  that 
the  few  remarks  he  made  to  them  were  kind 
and  to  the  point,  but  duties  of  hospitality  had 
evidently  called  him  from  those  of  a  higher 


156  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

nature,  from  which  he  did  not  find  it  easy  to 
abstract  his  mind.  As  the  dinner-hour  wore 
on,  he  became,  however,  more  social,  and  at 
length  became  much  interested  in  a  discussion 
with  the  Judge  in  regard  to  some  matters  of 
vital  importance  to  the  Church's  welfare. 

Horace,  who  had  that  quickness  of  percep 
tion  which  generally  accompanies  genius,  con 
cluded  at  once  that  the  manner  which  had 
at  first  inspired  him  with  something  like  awe, 
did  not  arise  from  any  deficiency  in  benevo 
lence,  but  was  the  result  of  natural  reserve 
added  to  a  deep  and  ever-present  conviction 
of  the  solemn  responsibility  of  his  office.  He 
might  not,  as  a  man,  be  as  agreeable  on  this 
account;  but,  as  a  minister,  it  added  much  to 
his  influence.  Celia,  who  was  particularly 
alive  to  any  thing  like  levity  in  a  clergyman, 
and  quick  to  note  inconsistency,  was  much 
impressed  with  the  dignified  demeanor  of  the, 
new  rector,  and  felt  strengthened  in  her  deter 
mination  of  applying  to  him  for  counsel  and 
guidance.  In  his  most  unguarded  moments 
there  was  nothing  passed  his  lips  which  would 


BERKLEY   PAKSONAGE.  157 

make  religious  conversation  immediately  after 
wards  seem  out  of  place ;  but,  on  the  con 
trary,  there  was  just  enough  of  familiarity  in 
his  social  demeanor  to  encourage  confidence 
in  applying  for  pastoral  counsel  and  aid.  He 
never  forgot  his  clerical  office,  and  therefore 
he  always  met,  in  return,  with  consideration 
and  respect. 

As  soon  as  dinner  was  over,  Judge  Hastings 
was  obliged  to  excuse  himself  for  a  few  hours, 
and  Mr.  Leonard,  after  remaining  a  few  mo 
ments  in  the  parlor  with  the  ladies,  withdrew 
also  to  his  study. 

Reginald  looked  at  Horace,  as  much  as  to 
say,  "Now  comes  the  tug  of  war;"  but  the 
fear  of  being  awkwardly  situated  was  in  an 
instant  quieted  by  Mrs.  Leonard  saying,  in 
her  peculiarly  lively  way,  "Now,  boys,  I  am 
going  to  set  you  to  work.  Do  you  see  that 
great  pile  of  books  in  the  corner,  and  the  big 
basket  beside  them?  They  are  new  volumes 
for  the  Sunday-school,  which  are  to  be  covered, 
and  then  they  are  to  have  the  name  of  the 
church  and  the  number  pasted  inside.  I  am 


158  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

going  to  invite  the  young  ladies  to  do  the 
covering  with  some  cambric  that  they  will 
find  in  the  basket,  while  you  are  writing  the 
cards  ready  to  be  pasted  in,  and  then  you 
will  find  a  bottle  of  gum-water  in  that  same 
huge  receptacle. 

Mrs.  Leonard  understood  that  one  secret  of 
putting  people  at  ease  was  to  give  them  em 
ployment.  Celia  and  Mary  drew  up  to  the 
centre-table,  and  commenced  cutting  out  the 
covers  for  the  books,  while  Horace  and  Begi- 
nald  tried  the  pens  in  the  open  desk  which 
Mrs.  Leonard  laid  before  them. 

An  hour  passed  away  in  this  pleasant  em 
ployment,  and  the  young  people  were  so  busy 
with  their  work  that  they  forgot  that  there 
were  any  older  ones  in  the  room,  and  con 
versed  in  the  most  unrestrained  manner  about 
the  volumes  on  which  they  were  employed. 
Celia,  it  is  true,  did  not  say  as  much  as  usual ; 
but  Horace  was  very  animated,  for  books 
were  his  perfect  delight ;  and  as  for  Mary, 
occasionally  she  would  get  every  little  while 
so  interested  in  looking  into  some  new  one  she 


BERKLEY    PARSONAGE.  159 

had  never  seen  before,  that  she  had  to  be  re 
minded  that  her  present  business  was  only 
with  its  outside. 

The  last  volume  was  only  just  finished  when 
Celia  rose  from  the  table  with  a  determined 
air,  and,  approaching  Mrs.  Leonard,  said  quite 
firmly,  "Is  Mr.  Leonard  occupied?  I  should 
like  to  see  him  for  a  little  while." 

Mrs.  Hastings  looked  up  in  some  surprise 
at  this  request;  but  Mrs.  Leonard  answered, 
as  if  it  were  quite  a  thing  of  course, 

"Certainly,  dear,  he  will  be  at  leisure  to 
see  you.  Come  with  me  to  his  study,  where 
he  likes  best  to  receive  his  friends." 

Before  Celia  had  time  to  be  alarmed,  she 
found  herself  sitting  on  the  comfortable  couch 
in  the  rector's  study,  and  talking  with  that 
gentleman  himself  in  the  most  confiding  man 
ner.  He  had  divined  the  object  of  her  visit, 
and  gently  led  the  way  to  the  subject,  encour 
aging  her — she  could  hardly  tell  how,  for  he 
did  not  say  much  himself — to  tell  him  the  rise 
and  progress  of  that  struggle  with  the  powers 
of  evil  which  had  been  taking  place  in  her 


160  CONSECKATED   TALENTS. 

mind  ever  since  her  arrival  at  Beulah.  After 
this  full  statement  of  her  feelings,  Mr.  Leonard 
gave  it  as  his  opinion  that  she  should  present 
herself  for  Confirmation,  but  still  left  it  for 
her  to  decide  the  question  by  self-examina 
tion  and  prayer,  sure  that  the  result  would 
be  a  decision  in  the  affirmative.  The  inter 
view  was  terminated  with  a  cordial  shake  of 
the  hand,  and  so  fervent  a  u  God  bless  you," 
that  it  seemed  to  sink  into  the  depths  of 
Celia's  soul,  and  was  afterwards  remembered 
by  her  as  if  it  had  been  a  benediction  from 
heaven  itself. 

When  she  returned,  somewhat  embarrassed, 
to  the  drawing-room,  she  found  it  deserted, 
for  Mrs.  Leonard  had  an  instinctive  tact  in 
rendering  others  comfortable,  and  felt  that, 
after  such  an  interview,  the  young  girl  would 
need  some  time  to  compose  her  agitated  mind. 
She  therefore  invited  Mrs.  Hastings  and  Mary 
to  accompany  her  in  a  visit  to  a  sick  parish 
ioner,  despatching  Keginald  and  Horace,  with 
the  same  freedom  as  if  they  had  been  her  own 
sons,  to  the  railroad  in  search  of  a  package 


BERKLEY   PARSONAGE.  161 

of  Sunday-school  books  which  had  been  ex 
pected  in  the  morning. 

When  the  party  returned,  Celia  was  reading 
a  little  work  recommended  by  Mr.  Leonard, 
which  she  had  found  in  the  book-case,  and 
the  afternoon  passed  away  without  any  allu 
sion  to  the  cause  of  her  seeking  an  inter 
view  with  the  rector. 

When  once  again  assembled  at  Beulah,  after 
a  pleasant  ride  home,  Judge  Hastings  found 
it  absolutely  necessary  to  check  the  enthusias 
tic  admiration  of  the  young  people  for  the 
family  at  the  parsonage. 

"You  cannot  admire  too  much,"  he  said, 
"the  principles  which  actuate  our  excellent 
pastor  and  his  agreeable  wife ;  but  you  bestow 
stronger  praise  on  them  both  than  it  is  right 
to  lavish  on  mere  mortals.  They  are  both 
fallible;  and,  as  perfect  as  they  appear  to 
you,  in  the  sight  of  God  they  are  weak  and 
sinful  beings,  tempted,  erring,  and  repenting 
as  you  yourselves  must  ever  be.  Love  them 
as  much  as  you  will,  my  dear  children,  but 
there  is  a  kind  of  way  of  speaking  which 

14* 


162  CONSECKATED   TALENTS. 

should  be  only  used  towards  Him  who  is  per 
fection." 

"But,  father,  may  we  not  say  it  is  good 
to  be  there?"  asked  Mary  timidly.  "I  am 
sure  I  never  felt  so  strongly  the  happiness 
that  religion  can  bestow,  though  at  home  I 
have  daily  proof  of  its  power." 

"Certainly,  my  child,  you  may  attribute  as 
much  power  to  the  spirit 'which  actuates  our 
kind  friends  as  you  please,  for  that  is  a  sub 
ject  on  which  there  is  no  danger  of  extrava 
gance.  I  am  glad,  too,  that  you  feel  the 
influence  of  their  society,  for  hospitality  is 
with  them  a  never-failing  source  of  usefulness. 
I  hardly  believe  that  Mr.  Leonard's  preaching 
has  done  more  good  than  the  example  set  by 
his  family  to  the  many  friends  who  have 
been  welcomed  to  their  roof.  Some  who  have 
sad  homes  have  spent  the  brightest  hours  of 
their  life  in  his  dwelling ;  and  many  a  gay 
relation  who  had  never  before  been  brought 
under  the  daily  influence  of  practical  godli 
ness,  has  been  thus  won  to  think  of  those 
things  which  are  so  lovely  and  of  such  good 


BERKLEY  PARSONAGE.  163 

report.  God  grant  that  their  light  may  long 
continue  to  shine.  Our  talents  are  great,  and, 
if  rightly  used,  they  will  shine  as  the  stars  in 
the  firmament  for  ever  and  ever." 


164  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 


CHAPTER  XL 

THE     INVALUABLE     NURSE. 

"WHAT  will  mamma  say?"  thought  Celia, 
as  she  sat, alone  in  her  room,  reflecting  upon 
the  conversation  which  had  taken  place  the 
day  before  at  the  rectory.  She  could  not 
but  think  that  it  would  be  a  trial  to  her 
worldly-minded  parent  to  learn  that  the 
daughter  who  had  been  educated  with  the 
sole  purpose  of  shining  in  society  was,  of  her 
own  accord,  renouncing  all  the  sinful  pomps 
and  vanities  for  which  she  had  (from  infancy) 
cultivated  a  taste. 

Her  meditations  were  interrupted  by  hear 
ing  her  name  called  in  a  loud  voice,  and 
looking  out  of  the  window  she  saw  Horace 
on  horseback  with  a  letter  in  his  hand. 

"Come  down  quick.  Celia,"  he  cried,  "for  I 
am  in  a  hurry,  and  here's  a  letter  from  your  mo 
ther,  which  I  have  ridden  post-haste  to  deliver." 


PAGE     164. 


THE   INVALUABLE   NURSE.  165 

Celia  needed  to  hear  no  more,  but  flew 
down  stairs  and  almost  snatched  the  letter 
from  Horace's  hand,  and  with  a  hasty  "thank 
you,"  flew  upstairs  back  into  her  own  apart 
ment. 

Why,  after  reaching  its  seclusion,  did  she 
pause  as  she  was  about  to  break  the  seal, 
while  half-formed  words  like  a  prayer  rose 
to  her  lips?  The  memory  of  the  last  letter 
received  from  the  same  hand  flashed  across 
her  mind,  with  its  lively  account  of  gay  fes 
tivities  and  its  minute  descriptions  of  scenes 
which  it  pained  Celia  to  imagine.  What 
happiness  could  she  now  expect  from  a  simi 
lar  disclosure  of  worldliness  and  folly? 

With  a  cheek  flushed  with  these  changing 
emotions  Celia  broke  open  the  seal.  The 
first  words  she  read  filled  her  mind  with  as 
tonishment  and  wonder,  so  entirely  did  they 
differ  from  any  thing  she  had  before  seen 
from  her  mother's  hand. 

"My  dear  daughter,"  began  Mrs.  Kogers, 
"I  feel  that  I  am  utterly  unworthy  to  claim 


166  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

as  a  child  one  whom  I  have  treated  with  such 
shameful  neglect.  I  shudder  when  I  think 
that  I  have  brought  into  the  world  an  im 
mortal  being,  dedicated  her  to  her  Maker, 
and  then  done  all  in  my  power  to  make  her 
forget  His  laws  and  will. 

"You  will  be  surprised,  Celia,  at  my 
writing  thus,  but  I  am  like  one  rescued  from 
sudden  destruction.  For  the  instrument,  which 
by  the  grace  of  God  has  effected  this  change, 
I  am  indebted  to  Mrs.  Hastings.  Do  you  re 
member  that  she  insisted  on  my  taking  a 
very  nice  sempstress  of  her  own,  named  Mary, 
for  my  nurse,  when  I  had  sought  in  vain  for 
some  suitable  person  to  fill  that  station.  I 
remonstrated  at  the  time  against  her  making 
such  a  sacrifice,  but  she  declared  that  it  was 
most  necessary  that  while  an  invalid  and  in 
a  foreign  land  I  should  have  some  one  about 
me  in  whom  I  could  place  implicit  confidence, 
but  that  it  mattered  much  less  what  person 
filled  the  place  which  Mary  occupied  in  her 
family. 

"  From  the  first  moment   that  I   saw   this 


THE   INVALUABLE   NURSE.  167 

woman,  there  was  something  in  her  manner 
which  pleased  and  at  the  same  time  annoyed 
me.  She  was  never  wanting  in  deference  or 
at  all  presuming,  but  manifested  at  the  same 
time  such  perfect  self-respect,  that  I  felt  as  if 
whenever  I  found  fault  with  her  I  was  inju 
ring  myself.  On  board  the  steamer  she  attract 
ed  the  attention,  not  only  of  our  own  party, 
but  of  strangers,  by  her  obliging  ways  and 
extreme  efficiency  and  self-command  during  a 
storm  which  overtook  us  when  near  the  En 
glish  coast.  She  never  neglected  me  for  an 
instant,  but  often  found  time  for  paying  little 
attentions  to  others,  in  the  quiet  manner  of 
one  discharging  their  bounden  duty,  for  which 
they  neither  asked  thanks  nor  reward.  I  ob 
served  that  she  frequently  took  out  a  little 
volume  from  her  pocket  and  read  for  a  few 
minutes,  and  then  put  it  back  with  the  satis 
fied  air  of  one  who  rises  from  a  refreshing 
meal,  and  I  also  observed  that  her  language 
and  habits  were  much  more  refined  than  those 
of  her  station  in  general.  I  began  to  wonder 
why  she  did  not  feel  ashamed  of  her  position, 


168  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

and  at  last  my  curiosity  to  know  the  secret 
of  her  perfect  contentment  became  so  great, 
that  I  asked  her  one  day  if  she  never  felt 
mortified  at  being  in  so  humble  a  situation. 

"The  expression  of  her  reserved  face  told 
me  at  once  that  she  perceived  the  rudeness 
of  my  remark,  but  she  answered  very  com 
posedly,  'Oh,  no!  not  in  the  least;  I  am 
happier  than  those  who  possess  what  are  con 
sidered  greater  advantages.' 

"'That  may  be,'  I  said,  but  added,  .'but 
for  all  that  it  must  sometimes  seem  hard  for  a 
person  of  your  intelligence  to  perform  only 
the  most  menial  omces,  and  feel  that  we  were 
always  looked  down  upon  by  those  around 
us.' 

"'It  would  be  hard  to  have  such  feelings/ 
she  replied,  with  a  quiet  smile;  'but,  happily, 
I  have  none  of  them.  Since  my  divine  Mas 
ter  chose  for  Himself  while  on  earth  a  hum 
ble  position,  it  would  be  strange  if  I  were  to 
murmur  at  being  placed  in  a  similar  one. 
He  came  in  the  form  of  a  servant,  and  while 
I  have  daily  access  to  the  King  of  kings,  I 


THE   INVALUABLE   NUKSE.  169 

cannot  consider  it  a  hardship  if  there  are 
those  of  my  fellow-mortals  placed  in  positions 
which,  if  they  have  greater  privileges,  have 
also  greater  temptations.' 

"  *  What  insufferable  pride !'  I  exclaimed  to 
myself,  quite  incapable  at  that  time  of  under 
standing  that  a  just  appreciation  of  ourselves 
may  be  quite  consistent  with  Christian  hu 
mility.  I  did  not  go  on  with  the  conversation, 
but  often  afterwards  imagined  that  there  was 
more  of  pity  than  envy  in  the  glance  with 
which  my  peculiar  nurse  surveyed  some  of 
my  most  fashionable  visitors.  I  was  also  un 
able  to  account  for  the  perfect  indifference 
with  which  Mary  surveyed  all  the  beautiful 
purchases  that  I  made  in  London  and  Paris. 
Superb  jewelry,  rich  dresses,  and  elegant  fur 
niture  never  drew  forth  from  her  one  expres 
sion  of  admiration.  I  saw  that  her  indifference 
to  these  things  was  real,  from  her  never 
putting  on  two  or  three  pretty  little  articles  of 
finery  which  were  given  her  by  the  ladies  of 
our  travelling  party.  She  seemed  only  to  ac 
cept  them  to  avoid  giving  offence,  and  in  one 

15 


170  CONSECBATED   TALENTS. 

instance  exchanged  quite  a  valuable  brooch  at 
a  jeweller's  for  a  small  sum  of  money,  which 
she  gave  to  some  mendicants  who  were  per 
petually  calling  on  me  for  aid.  Irritated  as 
rny  pride  certainly  was  at  having  a  person 
constantly  with  me  to  whom  I  seemed  to  be 
more  an  object  of  pity  than  admiration,  Mary 
was  too  invaluable  a  nurse  to  be  renounced 
on  this  account,  and  every  day  I  found  myself 
becoming  more  dependent  on  her  services. 

"The  only  privilege  on  which  she  insisted, 
was  attendance  on  public  worship  while  in 
Paris,  and  freedom  on  the  Sabbath  from  all 
unnecessary  labor.  This  was  at  first  difficult 
for  me  to  grant,  as  I  had  more  company  on 
that  day  than  others;  but  as  she  was  inflexi 
ble,  I  had  to  comply  with  the  only  condition 
on  which  I  could  retain  her  valuable  services. 

"About  four  weeks  since  my  illness  sud 
denly  increased  to  an  alarming  extent.  My 
physician  forbade  my  seeing  any  one  but 
Mary,  and  gave  her  the  most  minute  directions 
for  the  treatment  of  my  singular  disorder, 
which  had  rendered  me  exceedingly  nervous 


THE   INVALUABLE  NUKSE.  171 

and  melancholy.  Nothing  could  induce  her 
to  deviate  from  these  directions,  and  some  of 
my  friends  were  quite  outraged  because  that 
no  persuasions  or  inducements  could  prevail 
upon  her  to  allow  them  to  enter  my  apart 
ment.  Thus  shut  up  to  her  sole  companion 
ship,  I  began  to  study  more  minutely  than 
ever  the  singularity  which  had  before  at 
tracted  my  attention.  On  Sunday  evening, 
being  more  restless  than  usual,  and  weary  of 
my  own  faults,  I  asked  Mary  to  read  to  me 
the  third  volume  of  a  French  novel,  which  I 
had  commenced  some  time  before,  as  she  has 
already  acquired  such  a  knowledge  of  the 
language  as  to  be  quite  intelligible.  As  she 
had  finished  the  two  preceding  volumes  with 
out  hesitation,  I  could  not  at  first  account  for 
the  reluctance  she  seemed  to  feel  in  comply 
ing  with  my  request,  for  I  had  forgotten  what 
day  it  was,  as  there  was  nothing  to  mark  the 
weeks  in  my  present  unvarying  life. 

•'She  did  not  pointedly  refuse,  but  said,  in 
a  tone  of  kindness,  'I  have  a  book  here 
which,  though  it  might  not  amuse  you  as 


172  CONSECKATED  TALENTS. 

much,  madam,  as  the  other  may,  will  do  more 
towards  quieting  your  mind.' 

"'Pray,  what  is  it?'  said  I,  rising  in  bed, 
for  I  had  always  been  curious  to  know  tov 
what  sort  of  literature  Mary  owed  her  intelli 
gence. 

'"It  is  an  old  book,'  she  answered,  'called 
"Baxter's  Saints'  Best,"  you  no  doubt  have 
often  heard  of  it.' 

"'Yes,  yes,'  I  said,  sinking  back  into  a 
state  of  indifference;  'read  it  if  you  like. 
The  title,  "Best,"  is  rather  soothing,  and  if 
you  will  read  in  a  monotonous  tone,  perhaps 
I  may  fall  asleep.' 

"So  saying,  I  closed  my  eyes,  and  Mary 
opened  to  the  chapter  upon  the  'Excellencies 
of  the  Saints'  Best.'  I  cannot  describe  the 
manner  of  her  reading,  so  full  was  it  of  en 
thusiastic  feeling.  I  could  have  fancied  that 
she  had  received  a  letter  from  some  dear 
friend  with  whom  she  wished  to  make  me 
acquainted,  from  the  warmth  and  earnestness 
with  which  she  pronounced  some  of  the  more 
impressive  sentences,  and  the  anxious  glances 


THE  INVALUABLE  NURSE.  173 

she  cast  towards  me,  to  see  if  I  were  still 
awake. 

"As  she  read,  some  chord  in  memory  was 
touched,  and  vibrated  long  to  the  stroke.  My 
grandmother,  one  of  the  excellent  of  the  earth, 
rose  before  me,  seated  in  a  low,  cushioned 
chair,  with  a  large  volume  on  her  lap,  from 
which  she  was  reading  through  her  spectacles, 
taking  them  off  occasionally  to  wipe  her  eyes, 
which  filled  with  tears  of  glad  anticipation. 
That  was  her  favorite  book!  I  remembered 
it  now.  And  where  was  that  saint?  She  had 
entered  into  that  rest  which  remaineth  for  the 
people  of  God.  The  time  since  I  stood  by 
her  death-bed  seemed  but  a  day,  and  yet  it 
was  twenty  years. 

"And  in  twenty  years  more,  I  asked, 
where  shall  I  be?  Shall  I  have  entered 
into  that  rest?  Again  I  listened  to  Mary's 
reading,  and  the  land  that  she  described 
seemed  to  me  a  haven  of  bliss;  but  then 
came  the  torturing  thought  of  my  utter  unfit- 
ness  for  such  a  state. 

"  '  For   whom,'  I  asked,  in   a  sleepy  tone, 

15* 


174  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

affecting  a  drowsiness  which  I  did  not  feel, 
/is  that  place  intended,  of  which  you  are 
reading  ?' 

"Mary  turned  in  silence  to  the  chapter 
giving  the  l  Character  of  those  for  whom  that 
rest  was  prepared.' 

"I  heard  her  to  the  end,  and  then  said, 
hastily,  'Leave  me,  now;  I  have  had  enough.7 
And  then  I  was  alone  with  my  awakened  con 
science,  and  all  my  sins  and  offences  against 
God  arrayed  before  me. 

"  I  will  not  describe  to  you,  my  dear  Celia, 
the  night  that  followed.  May  you  never  lay 
up  for  yourself,  by  years  of  thoughtlessness, 
such  agony!  It  is  over  now,  and,  blessed  be 
God,  I  have  a  hope  that  for  me  also  there 
remaineth  a  rest.  But  think  not,  my  beloved 
daughter,  that  late  repentance  can  undo  the 
work  of  years.  The  thought  of  my  neglect 
ed  duty  of  you  is  like  a  dagger  in  my 
heart.  One  of  the  best  things  which  I  have 
ever  done  for  the  good  of  your  soul,  was 
placing  you  in  your  present  residence;  but 
how  can  I  hope  that  so  short  a  time  spent 


THE    INVALUABLE   NURSE.  175 

with  Christian  people  will  counteract  the  in 
fluence  and  example  of  years? 

"I  remember,  too,  with  pain,  that  from  your 
childhood  your  besetting  sin  has  been  that 
pride  which  is  the  greatest  enemy  of  God  in 
the  soul.  Oh !  how  I  prayed  that  I  might  not 
be  punished,  by  finding  you  still  farther  off 
from  peace  and  happiness  on  my  return.  If 
you  love  me,  Celia,  spare  me  the  bitterest  of 
pangs — that  of  self-reproach.  And  now,  in 
your  youth,  struggle  with  this  stubborn  fault. 
Humbly  solicit  the  aid  of  your  heavenly 
Father,  in  returning  to  Him,  and  listen  atten 
tively  to  the  teachings  of  your  kind  friends. 
Oh!  if  you  only  knew  how  hard  it  is,  when 
old,  to  conquer  the  simple  habits  of  a  life 
time,  in  youth  you  would  listen  to  the  voice  of 
truth.  I  can  say  no  more.  Eead  to  Mrs.  Hast 
ings  what  I  have  said,  and  tell  her  with  how 
invaluable  a  friend  she  provided  me  in  my 
faithful  nurse.  She  will  hardly  believe  that 
at  first  I  resisted  her  influence  from  a  fear  of 
owing  to  a  servant  impressions  which  would 
have  been  more  congenial  to  my  nature  to 


176  CONSECRATED   TALENTS. 

have  received  from  some  gifted  and  eminent 
divine.  But  that  is  all  over  now.  As  my 
plain-looking  nurse  moves  about  my  room,  I 
look  upon  her  with  more  respect  than  I  ever 
before  bestowed  upon  mortal.  She  might  well 
think  her  situation  no  disgrace,  for  she  has 
used  its  advantages  in  the  service  of  her  Lord, 
and  given  to  me  a  more  convincing  proof  of 
the  indifference  to  the  world,  which  ought  to 
distinguish  all  Christian  people,  than  all  with 
whom  I  have  ever  before  met.  I  can  never 
repay  her,  for  she  cares  not  for  any  gifts  that 
are  mine,  and  all  that  is  worth  possessing  she 
already  enjoys.  And  now,  farewell,  my  child, 
till  we  meet.  I  feel  that  I  must  be  with  you 
as  long  as  my  days  are  spared,  to  undo,  if 
possible,  the  evil  that  I  have  done.  God 
forgive  me,  and  bless  you,  my  only  child. 
"Your  affectionate, 

"Though  erring  mother, 

"HELEN  EOGERS." 

Poor  Celia!  how  she  wept  as  she  read  this 
penitent  epistle !     The  last  stronghold  of  pride 


THE   INVALUABLE   NUESE.  177 

was  subdued,  and  she  gave  up  her  whole 
heart  to  her  gracious  Saviour,  who  had  thus 
removed  the  great  obstacle  which  would  have 
obstructed  her  Christian  course.  "  Oh !  if  she 
could  only  return  in  time  for  Confirmation," 
was  the  present  wish  of  her  heart. 

Mrs.  Rogers  did  return  just  in  season  to 
present  herself  at  the  chancel,  with  her  daugh 
ter,  to  receive  this  solemn  rite.  Oh !  what  a 
holy  bond  was  there  formed  between  mother 
and  child,  and  what  strength  was  added  to 
the  early  friendship  of  Mrs.  Hastings  by  this 
new  tie ! 

As  Celia's  fine  voice  was  heard  that  day  in 
the  Confirmation  hymn,  there  was  that  feel 
ing  in  its  tone  which  was  more  acceptable 
worship  than  the  sweetest  melody.  And 
when,  on  the  ensuing  Sunday,  she  drew  forth 
from  the  organ  its  richest  music,  no  love  of 
display  mingled  with  her  devotion.  She  felt 
that  it  was  a  glorious  privilege  to  surrender 
every  faculty  to  Him  who,  for  her  sake,  veiled 
the  glory  of  Godhead  in  the  form  of  humanity. 

It  was   also  peculiarly   observable,  that  as 


178  CONSECRATED  TALENTS. 

they  walked  down  the  aisle  after  the  Com 
munion-service  had  concluded,  both  Mrs. 
Eogers  and  her  daughter  sought  out  the  most 
humble  of  their  acquaintances,  and  saluted 
them  with  a  cordiality  which  showed  that 
they  felt  no  worldly  position  gave  superiority 
in  the  house  of  God,  where  all  were  equally 
the  servants  of  one  gracious  Lord. 

"I  believe  Miss  Eogers  is  a  real  Christian 
now,"  said  one  of  these  persons,  who  judge 
of  religion  by  the  manner  which  its  profess 
ors  adopt  towards  themselves.  "Did  you  see 
how  kindly  she  shook  hands  with  me?" 

This,  it  is  true,  is  not  a  fair  rule  of  judg 
ment;  but  with  those  in  inferior  stations,  there 
is  no  such  proof  of  Christian  sincerity  as 
Christian  courtesy  and  humility. 


RESULTS.  179 


CHAPTER  XII. 

RESULTS. 

Six  years  had  passed  since  the  circum 
stances  narrated  in  the  last  chapter,  and  still 
the  little  circle  at  Beulah  was  unbroken.  It 
is  true  that  Mrs.  Eogers  had  removed  to  a 
cottage  in  the  neighborhood,  but  the  two 
families  were  so  closely  united  that  they 
seemed  but  one.  Now  all  were  absorbed  in 
an  event  of  intense  interest.  This  was  no 
other  than  the  embarkation  of  Horace  Hast 
ings  and  Frederick  Casey  on  a  mission  to  a 
foreign  land. 

From  the  morning  on  which  Horace  had 
imparted  to  Mr.  Neville  his  desire  to  be  pre 
pared  for  the  clerical  office,  he  had  never 
varied  in  his  determination  to  consecrate  him 
self  to  that  sacred  profession.  Every  study 
had  been  pursued  with  a  view  to  that  end, 
and  it  was  astonishing  how  much  this  single 


180  CONSECRATED   TALENTS. 

purpose  had  improved  and  perfected  his  nat 
ural  gifts. 

When  Mrs.  Hastings  heard  that  her  son 
had  determined  to  become  a  foreign  mission 
ary,  the  brightest  anticipation  of  her  heart 
was  fulfilled.  She  had  always  felt  that  his 
remarkable  facility  in  acquiring  languages,  his 
untiring  zeal  in  overcoming  obstacles,  his  un 
common  power  in  winning  affection,  and,  more 
than  all,  his  lofty  and  ardent  piety,  peculiarly 
fitted  him  for  eminent  success  in  missionary 
labors.  She  had  viewed  all  these  accomplish 
ments  as  the  pious  Jew  of  old  might  have 
looked  upon  the  spotlessness  of  the  lamb 
which  he  was  about  to  offer  in  sacrifice,  for 
they  made  him  meet  to  be  presented  at  the 
altar  a  living  sacrifice,  holy,  acceptable  unto 
the  Lord. 

Oh!  how  can  any  Christian  parent  feel 
otherwise  than  joyful  at  having  given  to  the 
Church  another  reaper  for  that  harvest  whose 
whiteness  calls  aloud  for  additional  aid.  It 
would  seem  as  if  each  murmuring  thought 
would  be  stilled  by  that  terrible  sentence, 


RESULTS.  181 

that  "he  that  loveth  son  or  daughter  more 
than  Me,  is  not  worthy  of  Me." 

There  was  one  other  person  who  shared  in 
the  holy  delight  with  which  Judge  Hastings 
and  his  wife  looked  forward  to  the  ordination 
of  their  son.  This  was  Mr.  Malcolm,  who,  in 
parting  from  Frederick  Casey,  felt  that  he 
too  was  giving  up  one  who  seemed  like  his 
own  child,  at  the  call  of  a  heavenly  Father. 

The  tie  had  long  since  been  broken  which 
Frederick  had  thought,  in  his  earlier  years, 
would  prevent  him  from  telling  the  desolate 
children  of  heathen  lands  of  the  orphan's  God. 

Little  Charlotte  gladdened  for  a  while  the 
dwelling  of  her  benefactor  by  her  gentle  en 
dearments,  and  then  she  too  was  transplanted 
to  an  everlasting  home.  Frederick  gazed  with 
cheerful  composure  upon  the  sweet  little  face, 
as  it  lay  in  its  final  resting-place,  and  thought 
as  he  kissed  for  the  last  time  the  pale  lips 
of  his  only  relative,  that  he  was  glad  that 
she  was  safe  in  the  bosom  of  her  Saviour. 

Though  now  no  playful  voice  welcomed 
him  on  his  return  from  the  labors  of  the  day, 


182  CONSECRATED   TALENTS. 

and  the  little  crib  was  empty,  which  at  his 
own  request  was  placed  in  his  room  at  Mr. 
Malcolm's,  there  was  still  no  despondency  in 
his  manner  or  heart.  He  knew  his  little  sis 
ter  was  not  his  own,  and  he  only  thanked 
God  that  she  had  lived  long  enough  after  his 
mother's  death  to  prevent  him  from  sinking 
into  discouragement  and  despair.  He  request 
ed  that  the  vacant  crib  might  remain  in  its 
accustomed  place,  and  he  used  to  kneel  beside 
it,  as  he  formerly  did  when  his  little  sister 
was  sweetly  sleeping  there,  asking  only  such 
temporal  blessings  as  were  best  for  his  soul's 
health,  and  concluding  even  his  petitions  for 
these  with  a  fervent  "  Thy  will  be  done." 

Eeginald  could  not  at  first  reconcile  him 
self  to  the  idea  of  his  beloved  cousin's  depart 
ure.  They  had  been  so  long  inseparable  that 
he  would  not  imagine  their  living  apart.  Of 
late  years  he  had  found  Horace's  counsel  and 
advice  of  great  assistance  in  the  management 
and  disposal  of  his  property,  and  together 
they  had  planned  and  executed  many  excel 
lent  schemes  of  benevolence.  The  account- 


RESULTS.  183 

book,  which  he  had  received  on  his  sixteenth 
birth-day,  had  given  him  a  lesson  which  he 
had  never  forgotten;  and  there  might  still 
be  seen  in  his  apartment  each  year  one  of  the 
same  kind,  in  which  were  registered  many 
such  expenditures  of  unrighteous  mammon  as 
could  win  for  him  friends  in  an  everlasting 
habitation.  The  last  entry  was  an  investment 
of  several  thousands  of  dollars  in  a  church 
building  which  was  erecting  on  the  spot  that 
was  to  be  the  scene  of  the  future  labors  of 
his  cousin. 

For  a  long  time  Eeginald  had  been  per 
plexed  with  a  doubt  whether  it  were  not  his 
duty  to  aid  personally  in  so  good  a  work ; 
but,  on  consulting  his  friend,  Mr.  Neville, 
that  gentleman  was  decidedly  of  the  opinion 
that  his  sphere  of  usefulness  was  the  very 
one  in  which  he  was  liow  placed.  His  mind, 
though  clear  and  strong,  was  not  quick,  and 
he  had  little  skill  in  imparting  knowledge. 
After  several  years  of  Sunday-school  instruc 
tion,  he  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the 
classification  of  teaching  among  those  peculiar 


184  CONSECRATED   TALENTS. 

gifts  which  were  only  possessed  by  more  fa 
vored  individuals,  was  founded  on  a  deep 
knowledge  of  our  nature  and  its  capabilities. 
He  therefore  decided  to  let  his  cousin  Horace 
exercise  his  peculiar  talents  in  the  vocation 
for  which  he  seemed  so  exactly  adapted,  and 
for  himself,  still  to  adopt  for  his  motto,  "He 
that  giveth,  let  him  do  it  with  simplicity ;  he 
that  showeth  mercy,  with  cheerfulness.'7 

There  was  one  fact  which  reconciled  Kegi- 
nald  entirely  to  remaining  in  his  native  coun 
try,  and  this  was  the  attachment  of  which  he 
now  felt  conscious  to  our  young  friend,  Celia 
Eogers.  He  looked  forward  to  the  day  when 
their  united  efforts  should  be  the  means  of 
extensive  usefulness.  Nor  was  he  too  san 
guine  in  his  expectations,  for  Christians  who 
view  even  the  marriage  relation  as  only  an 
instrument  for  more  fully  discharging  their 
holiest  duty,  may  promise  themselves  much 
happiness  even  in  this  world  of  sorrow. 

Mary  had  no  scheme  of  earthly  bliss  float 
ing  through  her  mind,  and  turning  away  her 
thoughts  from  their  beloved  resting-place.  To 


RESULTS.  185 

supply  to  her  parents  the  place  of  her  dear 
Horace  as  far  as  lay  in  her  power,  and  to 
continue  to  diffuse  joy  around  her  by  her 
sweet  manners,  calm  cheerfulness,  and  warm 
piety,  was  a  sufficient  occupation  to  keep  her 
mind  from  revelling  in  imaginary  scenes  of 
happiness.  Yet  it  was  not  without  a  severe 
struggle  that  she  prepared  to  say  "farewell" 
to  that  brother  who  had  been  her  strongest 
temptation  to  woman's  most  besetting  sin — 
idolatry  of  that  which  is  merely  human. 

The  day  appointed  for  the  sailing  of  the 
Peace  had  arrived,  for  in  this  identical  vessel 
Horace  and  Frederick  were  to  sail  for  the 
home  of  their  adoption.  The  supercargo  of 
this  vessel  was  no  other  than  Ealph  Sumer- 
ville,  who  had  been  as  much  influenced  for 
good  by  Frederick's  example  as  the  kind 
forbearance  and  fatherly  counsels  of  Mr.  Mal 
colm. 

As  Mrs.  Hastings  heard  her  son  utter  his 
solemn  ordination  vows,  her  heart  throbbed 
with  happiness  and  thanksgiving.  What  was 
it  for  her  that  if  for  a  few  years  she  should 


16* 


186  CONSECKATED   TALENTS. 

see  his  face  no  more,  if  she  might  hope  to 
behold  it  encircled  with  a  diadem  of  brightness 
in  the  dwellings  of  celestial  peace !  And 
when  she  heard  Mary's  voice  joining  calmly 
in  the  prayers  which  were  repeated,  she  felt 
that  her  mission  as  a  Christian  mother  had 
been  in  part  fulfilled.  She  had  given  to  the 
Church  two  members  to  assist  in  carrying  on 
its  warfare  with  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the 
devil,  and  they  were  going  forth  to  conquer 
under  the  banner  of  their  Lord. 

And  what  have  we,  who  have  been  called 
by  the  same  holy  name,  accomplished  in  this 
our  mission?  By  example  or  by  precept,  by 
zeal  or  by  meekness,  have  we  yet  won  a  sin 
gle  soul  to  shine  as  a  jewel  in  our  immortal 
crown?  By  fightings  within  and  wars  with 
out,  has  one  stronghold  of  Satan  fallen,  one 
enemy  been  subdued?  And  have  we,  who 
were  bought  with  a  price,  ever  entirely  recog 
nized  our  consecration  of  soul  and  body  to 
our  Master's  service? 

Where  are  our  talents?  At  interest,  or 
buried  to  a  depth  from  which  they  will  only 


RESULTS.  187 

be  disinterred   to  our  everlasting  shame  and 
confusion  ? 

Wo  to  the  members  of  Jikato*  portion  of 
Christ's  holy  Church,  so  holy  in  spirit  and  so 
abounding  in  precious  privileges,  as  ours  is, 
if  they  accomplish  not  the  end  for  which 
these  privileges  were  given !  "  Unto  whom 
soever  much  is  given,  of  him  shall  be  much 
required." 


THE    END. 


